Casino Du Liban 60 Years After the Decision of Establishment

issue number 148 |November 2014 Number of voters between 1960 and 2014 The Internal Security Forces directorate general the monthly interviews www.monthlymagazine.com • Published by Information International sal Dr. Samia Khoury

Casino du Liban 60 years after the decision of establishment

4 Casino du Liban- 60 years after the decision of establishment

8 number of voters between 1960 and 2014 11 municipalities of Lebanon: dissolution of 71 municipal councils

17 customs exemptions for Embassies and Organizatioms

19 vacancy rates in Grade 4 and Grade 5 posts

21 the Internal Security Forces directorate general P: 29 P: 45

23 parliament of India: Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha 24 maurice Gemayel 27 atrial Fibrillation: Dr. Hanna Saadah 28 How to Cook with no risk!: maya nahoul 29 interview: Dr. Samia Khoury director of the MS center at the AUBMC

31 jad: Jeunesse Anti-Drogue

33 popular culture P: 31 34 debunking myth#86: Margaret Thatcher: a Feminist Icon?

35 must-read books: the Unknown Works of Dr. Khalil Saadeh badr el-Hage

36 must-read children’s book: The Sunrays Stories 47 this Month in History- Arab World the Birth of the Foal independence ofthe Islamic Republic of Mauritania 37 lebanon Families: The Kebreets and The Zarneekhs 48 on the Beliefs and Plots of Al-Qaeda (8)

38 discover Lebanon: Nammoura in 49 Real Estate Prices - September 2014 Kessrouan 50 Did you know that?: Wedding 39 Discover the world: ICELAND Traditions Around the World 40 september 2014 Highlights 50 Rafic Hariri International Airport Traffic - August 2014 45 this Month in History- Lebanon The Assassination of René Mouawad Who were the 51 lebanon’s stats Culprits: Syria or Israel? |editorial

Lebanon’s Wars, Why?

“This is not the Lebanon that I know,” said my colleague. “Why are ‘they’ doing this to ‘us’?” she continued. An honest, spontaneous yet “benign” remark, echoing Bush’s famous why “they” hate “us”, speech. We seem to have this image of ourselves (individuals and nations), that we hold true, where only “good’ is within “us” and evil is from “them.” Lebanon is today on the edge of an abyss. However, this is not something new. Since 1943, Lebanon has been witnessing crises and wars, not to mention those of the nineteenth century. The main problem lies in the system that we have developed either by consent, force, inaptness, or by all these combined. In fact, our political and socio-economic system strives on crises. The question is that of legitimacy and authority or the lack of them. A citizen believes that his country’s political and economic affairs are not his concern due to the absence of the state, so he delegates a politician, “Za’im” who, for the same reason, is only concerned with protecting his position and political inheritance, so he entrusts technocrats of weak political roots with daily government work and foreign powers with managing the country’s key national affairs. The 1975-1990 civil war was not about Palestinians and their weapons. Today, the dispute is not between the “March 14 and the March 8 Forces,” or about “freedom, sovereignty and independence” versus “the weapons of the resistance.” It is about power sharing in a system that lives on generating fear amongst confessions. Human resources are depleted, forced to emigrate or even assassinated. Moreover, the country’s financial resources are also squandered by either corruption or destruction. It seems that the system cannot function without an “enforcer”, who is always an external force(s). Those who are called “Zua’ama” or “Emirs of sects” are not only the victims of this vicious circle, but also its creators, along with their followers and other citizens. It is impossible to get out of this infernal circle unless we agree on the need to identify the defects of our system and join efforts to resolve them. Two steps are required for this purpose: Reconciliation and objectivity. The process of reconciliation was halted by a general amnesty law drafted by those who participated in the war. It is not acceptable to forget about the long 1975-1990 civil war, which is perhaps still ongoing, as if it never occurred. The subsequent, as well as the organized looting of the state perpetrated under the slogans of “reconstruction” and the “state of law and institutions” as a reward to Zua’ama does not provide for stability. Understanding one’s history as factually as possible and reporting current pertinent facts is another prerequisite not only to achieve reconciliation but to plan for the future. It is time to understand that, in the end, everyone loses. Leaders who seek and live by power are either assassinated or go into oblivion and the people are always the ultimate victims. We hope that Information International, through its monthly magazine and other publications, would contribute to reviving the Lebanese people’s memory, and present them with facts and figures in order for history not to repeat itself.

This article, written by Jawad Adra, was featured in The Monthly magazine in its issue number 55 of January 2007. It served as an introduction to a book entitled Lebanon’s Wars, Why? that was published by the Social and Cultural Development Association (INMA) in cooperation with Information International within the Bee Series for civic education. Publishing this piece again today attests to how little the situation has changed in roughly eight years. 4 | Leader Casino du Liban 60 years after establishment, where does all that money go?

The Casino du Liban is recognized as one of Lebanon’s landmark tourist attractions, and is a quasi governmental company that provides the state’s treasury with a share of revenues determined according to the contract signed between the state and the concessionaire. It is rumored that the Casino channels part of its funds to prominent political figures through its “black box”. The fact that the Casino’s funds are for the most part cash that may be transferred easily after distortion of internal accounts raises the viability of these claims. Yet, the allegations remain unwarranted because of lack of supportable documentation.

Laying the foundation for the establishment Establishment of the Casino du Liban company of the Casino Pursuant to Decree no. 16694 dated July 30, 1957, a The approval of the gambling law in 1954, sixty thirty-year license was granted to shareholders Victor years ago, was the first step that paved the way for the Moussa, Emile Kharat and Albert Mnassa to start the establishment of Casino du Liban. The law dated August Casino du Liban company with a capital worth LBP 4, 1954, “licensed gaming exclusively to a casino that 12 million, raised later in 1966 to LBP 18 million. shall be set up by the seaside, along a straight line lying The contract between the state and the company no further than five kilometers from the seashore and was approved in December 1959 and was extended no closer than 1.5 kilometers from populous areas. A until the Civil War broke out in 1975, disrupting the minimum straight-line distance of 15 kilometers shall Casino’s activities and compelling it to shut its doors separate the casino from Beirut, Tripoli and Saida.” several times, before it ceased to operate entirely in 1988, affected by the war unfolding in its vicinity and The games allowed at this casino shall include Roulette, the consequent damage the Casino sustained. Baccarat and Golden Pharaoh Slots. The investment license shall be awarded for 25 years by bidding on Reopening the state’s revenues from gaming profits provided that After the war had ended, and as the Casino was preparing the said revenues account for no less than 40% of the to return to operation, Law no. 320 was issued on March gross annual income generated from gambling.” 24, 1994 authorizing the company to invest in a casino in Maamelteyn on the following conditions: The law identified the bodies benefitting from the The maximum period of investment shall not share of the state and prohibited non-adults (people exceed 30 years. below 21 years of age), civil servants, municipal staff, The revenues allocated to the state from the treasurers and those residing in Lebanon whose annual casino’s gaming profits shall be set at 30% of the income does not exceed USD 15,000- the figure set gross annual income in the first ten years. The later at 100 times the monthly minimum wage, i.e. share shall be raised to 40% in the following ten USD 45,000 currently- from entering the casino, thus years and further to 50% in the final ten years. limiting casino visits by low-income earners. The company shall abide by all the obligations ensuing from previous investment agreements (concessions), Earlier in June 1950, a law was issued specifying how be it towards the state or towards its employees. to establish and invest in gambling casinos, but the law The land in Maamelteyn, all existing premises and was cancelled upon issuance of the gambling law. equipment or those to be built, shall return to the state at the end of the agreement

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Leader | 5

In order to promote and increase the profits of the The period of investment, starting from the date of company and therefore those of the state, Law no. 417 investment in the premises, is 30 years. dated May 15, 1995 was issued under the presidency The share of the state is set at 30% of the gross annual of Elias Hrawi and the premiership of Rafik Hariri income resulting from gaming in the first ten years. granting the Casino du Liban company “the right The share shall be raised to 40% in the following ten to invest exclusively in gambling games at the sole years and further to 50% in the final ten years. During casino present in Maamelteyn.” the first three days of every month, a statement of income for the preceding month is to be produced New contract with the share of the state enclosed therein. On the basis of the new privileges awarded to the The state appoints a supervisory committee that Casino du Liban company (a thirty-year contract and consists of the Director General of Finance, the monopoly over gambling games) a new agreement Director General of Tourism and two members of was signed on July 14, 1995 between the company staff from the Ministry of Finance. and the state represented by the Ministers of Tourism The terms and conditions of entry to the halls shall and Finance. The agreement stipulated the following: be strictly abided by. The company vows to restore and rehabilitate all existing premises (particularly gaming halls, Contract amendment the theatre and the Ambassadors Hall) at its own In accordance with the contract signed between the expense and according to the designs, regulations, state and the Casino du Liban in 1995, the company materials and specifications set by Dar Al-Handasa initiated investments in the casino on November 17, (Shair and Partners) so as to promote the casino 1996. Nevertheless, it refused to pay the state its to levels higher than ever before. It also vows to share of profits from the slot machines placed in the finish all the works in two and a half years starting entertainment hall arguing that, unlike other games, from the date of signature of the contract and to these machines were not covered by the contract. pay the state USD 4000 for each day of delay. Other contract provisions were also violated. The company vows to bear the expenses of building a multi-storey car park that will accommodate at Against the company’s inflexibility, the government least 600 vehicles. engaged in a new round of negotiations that led The company vows to construct a five-star hotel eventually to signing an appendix to the contract containing 100 to 150 rooms on its own plots of stipulating the following: land according to the designs of Dar Al-Handasa in The company shall pay the state an amount worth cooperation with the company. The hotel shall be USD 15 million. completed during a five-year period starting from The state’s share of the profits shall be raised the date of signature of the contract and the company starting in 2000 from 30% to 40% until the end of shall pay USD 4000 for each day of delay. Should the the first ten years. For the following ten years its company fail to initiate its actual investments in the share shall be 50% rather than 40% and 60% rather hotel within a maximum period of five years and three than 50% for the final ten years of the contract. months from the date of signature of the contract, the The state shall agree to the keeping of the slot contract herein shall be deemed null and void and the machines in the entertainment hall. company shall pay the state USD 15 million. The state shall agree to dismiss the clause regarding The investment includes Roulette, Baccarat, the construction of the hotel in exchange for an Golden Pharaoh Slots and other ordinarily amount worth USD 15 million. proscribed gambling games. As for the authorized games such as Poker and Bridge, the company Accordingly, the company vowed to pay the state LBP may operate them outside its halls and they are 83.3 billion as a settlement of the dispute. The parties not subjected to the terms of investment, meaning agreed that the amount would be paid in installments and that the company does not siphon off any share of the company vowed to keep transferring the monthly share profits from these games to the state. it owed to the state during the first week of every month.

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Where do the revenues go? The figures announced by the Casino’s management are fact, the selection happens based on a sectarian-political not an accurate reflection of the generated income and quota. The Board of Directors is chaired by Hamid Kraidi of the state’s share thereof. In fact, it is alleged that the (Maronite). It consists of nine members: Mohammad revenues are much higher than the reported figure but Choueib (Shia’a), Mohammad Hachem Tabbara (Sunni), part of them are channeled into the so-called “black box”, Majid Jumblat (Druze), Michel Fernainy (Greek which finances the activities of some of the Lebanese Orthodox), Mohammad Naqib (Sunni), George Nakhlem political and partisan classes, based on a certain quota. (Greek Orthodox), Hisham Nasser (Shia’a), Fadi Tamim However, nobody is able to estimate the expenditure of (Sunni) and Farid Suleiman (Maronite). this fund and therefore the actual size of such revenues remains a matter of guesswork. Furthermore, against The Casino employs 1550 people, some of whom do the backdrop of the indiscriminate hiring of dispensable not show up except to receive their pay. workers and the outsourcing of some of the facility’s works to private companies at exorbitant rates, the share The Casino du Liban company owns 13 plots of land of the state becomes insignificant compared to the actual in Kfaryassine, Adma and Al-Dafna in Kessrouan. revenues made. Table 1 illustrates the profits of the They stretch across a total area of roughly 109,000 m2. Casino and the state’s share during the past few years.

Profits of the Casino and the state’s Casino-goers gone broke Table 1 share during the past few years Thousands of Lebanese frequent the Casino du Year Profits (LBP billion) Share of the state (LBP billion) Liban’s gambling halls on a daily basis. Visitors come from different regions and have different 1997 8.16 31 political and sectarian profiles. They are from 1998 18 29 varied social classes, ranging from the wealthy 2008 40.9 155 and the educated to the poor and the illiterate. All of them arrive at the Casino, setting their hopes 2010 97 140 on hitting the jackpot. Yet, the vast majority 2011 120 comes out with dashed hopes and grievous losses, 2012 45 186 wiping out the modest salaries of low-income Source: Statements issued by the Casino’s management earners and draining the resources of affluent gamblers. Countless are the houses, properties Profile of Casino du Liban SAL and belongings gambled away inside the Casino. In the following, we outline a few stories by those The Casino du Liban is a Lebanese concessionaire, visitors who frequent the slot machines. Everyone registered as a joint-stock company in 1966 at number can have access to these machines and play from 658 in Baabda’s commercial register. Its capital is very modest to very large amounts of money, currently worth LBP 32.4 billion. according to the means of each player.

Shareholders: A 25-year-old Sri Lankan woman arrived in Lebanon Intra Investment Company: 53% (Banque du two years ago as a migrant domestic worker. Every Liban owns 35% in Intra Investment) now and then, her 76-year-old female employer would Abela: 17% take her along to the Casino. Having seen her employer Banque du Liban: 10% occasional winning, the Sri Lankan worker decided to Bank Awde: 7% take her chances and started to spend all her Sundays National Deposit Guarantee Institution: 6% at the Casino. Within a month, she had gambled away Other shareholders: 8% all the monies she had earned since her arrival in Lebanon. The sum amounted to roughly USD 3500. At face value, the Casino’s board of directors is elected by Having lost all her savings, she tricked her Sri Lankan shareholders, particularly by the Banque du Liban. But in friends working in Lebanon into believing that she was

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Leader | 7 flying back to Sri Lanka so that they would entrust her Another distressing gambling story is that of a with their monies, thinking that she would deliver the 56-year-old spinster who dedicated most of her life funds to their families back home. She was hoping to looking after her aging parents. After their death, to make up for her losses by using their remittances, she inherited the house and plots of land while her which amounted to USD 4000 but luck was not on her brother and sister were deprived of any share in the side. In less than ten days, she lost all the money and inheritance, which led to a rift between siblings. is now in such deep trouble, leaving her to face tough Shortly after the woman became accustomed to going choices, which potentially include a suicide. to the Casino, she sold one of the plots of land she inherited from her parents at USD 70,000 and wasted A 36-year-old employee with a monthly salary of the entire sum on gambling in less than two years. USD 1700 also fell victim to the gambler’s fallacy. She then disposed of another plot of land in return for The man who is the sole provider for his wife and USD 110,000, which also vanished in less than a year two children started making regular visits to the on gambling. Left with no possessions except the Casino every ten days, winning a few hundreds of roof she lives under and riddled with health problems thousands of liras at times and losing much more that she could not afford to treat, she pledged her at many others. Against his recurrent losses and the house to the bank for USD 200,000 in order to pay high cost of living, particularly the cost of education, for her treatment and pay off some of her debts, accommodation and transportation, his debts started although the house is worth roughly USD 350,000. mounting at alarming rates until they were at roughly The woman is broke, which puts the house at risk USD 10,000 because of the debt vouchers of the of being repossessed so that the bank can recover credit institution that lent him the money at exorbitant its rights, leaving her with a small sum that will be interest rates which were as high as 40% annually. hardly sufficient to live on. Recently, his creditor warned him that if he fails to repay his debts, a legal action will be filed against The final example of a compulsive gambler is a 40- him. Helpless, the man persuaded his wife to sell her year old married Lebanese man with a child. The wedding jewelry for USD 4500 to pay off part of his man inherited a large plot of land and sold parts of it, debts. Again, he returned to the Casino in the hope investing the ensuing funds in the construction of nine of multiplying the amount. He gambled away USD residential apartments on the remaining area. Upon 1500 on the first day, won USD 800 on the second, completion of his project, he sold all nine apartments then lost USD 2000 and USD 1800 during his third bringing in roughly USD 1.2 million. Since the day and fourth visits respectively, ending up penniless in he tried his luck at the casino and won LBP 3 million, just four days. he started making regular visits, thinking he would never run low on funds, no matter how great his Our third victim of gambling is a 58-year-old chef losses. He was wrong. His losses escalated within who works at a hospital in Mount Lebanon for USD three years, reaching as high as USD 600,000 which 1200 per month. The man had worked previously in is roughly half his fortune. Today, he has come to the Europe and invested the fortune he had made in buying realization that if he keeps going down the same road, a house for his family, a wife and two daughters who he will end up down and out. are currently in higher education. In addition to his job as a chef, he joined a taxi business and bought a car To see someone walk into the casino with a stuffed so he could work as a cab driver after working hours pocket and come out without even a few bucks to and during holidays. During the first week of every pay for a ride home is one of the dreariest and most month, he sets aside USD 500 of his salary for family miserable sights one can ever observe. It is both urgent expenses, then gambles the rest away in frequent visits and necessary to tighten control over entry into the to the Casino. He spends the rest of the month picking Casino and not to allow random access to the large up passengers to make some extra money and then gambling halls or even to the slot machines because gambles the lot on the thrilling chance of winning a this industry can suck cash out of communities and big jackpot. The man and his family are currently in shatter families resulting in serious implications on financial distress, and although he knows why, he is all socio-economic classes. not able to cut down or stop gambling.

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Number of voters between 1960 and 2014: From 1 million to 3.5 million

The factors governing the outcome of any parliamentary election are numerous. Those include, inter alia, the electoral law, the division of constituencies, the electoral alliances, the running candidates and the number of eligible voters and their distribution by political, sectarian or ethnic affiliations.

In 1960, a new electoral law was adopted in Lebanon and remained in force in the elections held in 1964, 1968 and 1972. The law was reintroduced in the most recent elections in 2009 but with amendments to Beirut’s three electoral districts. The 1960s law is still adopted today.

Political and sectarian alliances have clearly shifted in the period between 1960 and 2014. Most striking in the electoral landscape was the immense increase in the number of voters, which grew from 1,054,774 in 1960 to 3,533,269 in 2014, i.e. up by 2,478,495 voters or 235% as illustrated in Table 1.

The percentage of increase differed from one district to another reaching its peak in the predominantly Shia’a district of Baalbeck-Hermel at 474% and its lowest point in the predominantly Maronite district of Batroun at 102%. It may be said that the districts with Muslim majorities recorded the highest increases in the number of voters, as we will elaborate later.

Evolution of the number of voters per electoral district between 1960 and 2014 Table 1 % of District 1960 1972 1996 2000 2005 2009 2013 2014 Increase increase

Baalbeck-Hermel 51,141 83,398 191,503 210,607 234,414 256,287 285,567 293,334 242,193 474

Rashaya- Western 37,225 49,105 93,671 101,465 112,387 122,989 131,543 134,607 97,382 261 Beqa’a

Zahle 53,378 69,033 124,592 131,033 141,529 158,109 165,018 168,337 114,959 215

Jezzine 23,123 29,237 46,922 48,622 50,950 54,503 56,514 57,499 34,376 149

Tyre 36,580 44,597 112,283 124,913 140,598 155,034 171,082 175,329 138,749 380

Bint Jbeil 25,084 33,855 89,444 96,700 109,070 123,347 133,974 137,247 112,163 447

Marjeyoun- Hasbaya 37,574 51,114 106,339 114,963 124,883 139,590 147,497 151,147 113,573 302

Nabatieh 25,453 32,197 89,928 96,248 107,711 122,644 132,628 135,896 110,443 434

Saida villages 20,759 28,208 70,771 76,345 84,662 93,556 102,058 104,636 83,877 404

Saida 15,574 20,321 41,147 44,274 48,975 53,960 57,398 58,829 43,255 278

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Evolution of the number of voters per electoral district between 1960 and 2014 Table 1 % of District 1960 1972 1996 2000 2005 2009 2013 2014 Increase increase

Shouf 65,140 84,437 143,156 155,921 166,102 183,563 189,139 192,768 127,628 196

Aley 48,010 36,720 100,596 102,930 109,480 116,219 121,224 123,447 75,437 157

Baabda 56,308 75,837 126,744 133,415 142,529 151,927 157,503 160,296 103,988 184

Matn 71,992 89,735 144,152 152,185 163,069 169,870 173,333 177,242 105,250 146

Kessrouan 44,037 52,913 80,285 81,709 86,361 89,360 90,575 92,517 48,480 110

Jbeil 29,441 38,011 63,880 65,882 70,650 75,272 77,900 79,479 50,038 172

Batroun 29,144 34,500 52,270 53,403 55,543 58,488 57,820 58,868 29,724 102

Koura 28,589 43,894 50,342 53,963 56,249 58,037 58,333 59,356 30,767 107

Bsharri 21,334 28,000 40,447 42,054 43,996 46,496 47,508 48,100 26,766 125

Zgharta 30,636 36,931 57,089 62,403 66,986 71,656 73,815 75,258 44,622 145

Tripoli 56,144 71,022 142,120 159,424 175,601 196,061 208,032 212,513 156,369 278

Mennieh-Dennieh 20,721 27,367 69,153 76310 87,089 97,709 107,244 110,276 89,555 432

Akkar 60,725 77,100 158,336 173,172 204,974 224,046 251,622 258,751 198,026 326

Beirut 1 44,625 54,516 86,889 88,919 90,642 92,959 92,080 92,395 47,770 107

Beirut 2 43,947 51,939 87,905 91,885 95,373 101,868 104,729 105,996 62,049 141

Beirut 3 78,090 92,970 201,918 216,809 233,829 252,524 264,635 269,146 191,056 245

Total 1,054,774 1,336,957 2,571,892 2,755,554 3,003,652 3,266,074 3,458,761 3,533,269 2,478,495 235

Source: No. of voters in the respective years as reported by the Ministry of the Interior and Municipalities

Beirut districts (1960-2014) The new divisions assigned for the districts of Beirut in 2009 differed from the 1960s partitions and our article has abided by the former in counting the number of voters. Beirut 1: Ashrafieh, Rmeil, Saifi Beirut 1 previously: Ashrafieh, Mdawwar, Rmeil, Saifi, Marfaa, Mina Hosn Beirut 2: Bashoura, Mdawwar, Marfaa Beirut 2 previously: Bashoura, Zqaq Blat, Ain Mraisseh Beirut 3: Mazraa, Msaytbeh, Ras Beirut, Ain Mraiseh, Mina Hosn , Zqaq Blat Beirut 3 previously: Mazraa, Msatbeh, Ras Beirut.

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Evolution of the number of voters by sect Compared to the number of Christian voters, the number of Muslim voters has increased drastically between 1960 and 2014. However, since no data is available on the voter records before 1996, we have used the year 1996 as our baseline. As illustrated in Table 2, Muslim voters accounted for 55.5% of the total voters in 1996 while Christian voters made up 44.3%. In 2013, the percentage of Muslim voters grew to 62.1% compared to 37.8% for Christian voters.

Evolution of the number of voters by sect Table 2

Sect/ Year 1996 % 2005 % 2009 % 2013 %

Shia’a 634,350 24.7 793,018 26.4 872,237 26.7 957,427 27.6

Sunni 360,229 24.5 801,685 26.7 88,161 27.2 971,796 28.1

Druze 146,835 5.7 169,829 5.6 183,775 5.6 194,025 5.6

Alawi 16,615 0.6 23,804 0.8 25,019 0.8 28,009 0.8

Total of 1,428,029 55.5 1,788,399 59.5 1,970,192 60.3 2,151,257 62.1 Muslim voters

Maronite 624,532 24.3 670,566 22.3 713,098 21.8 697,607 20.1

Greek Orthodox 229,432 8.9 237,307 7.9 245,903 7.5 250,422 7.2

Greek Catholics 145,802 5.7 157,285 5.2 161,783 5.0 166,821 4.8

Armenian Orthodox 86,708 3.3 90,810 3.1 87,427 2.7 89,313 2.6

Armenian Catholic 19,228 0.8 20,215 0.7 19,075 0.6 19,693 0.6

Evangelicals 17,216 0.7 17,443 0.6 14,267 0.4 12,787 0.4

Christian minorities 15,225 0.6 15,929 0.5 54,329 1.7 70,194 2.1

Total of Christian voters 1,138,143 44.3 1,209,555 40.3 1,295,882 39.7 1,306,837 37.8

Jews 5,720 0.2 5,698 0.2 4,293 0.1 5,022 0.14

Total 2,571,892 100 3,003,652 100 3,266,074 100 3,463,116 100

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Public Sector | 11

Municipalities of Lebanon Dissolution of 71 Municipal Councils

Lebanon’s most recent municipal elections were held in May 2010. Since then, 71 municipal councils have been dissolved for a variety of reasons: 1) disputes — mostly familial or partisan — among the members of the council, 2) disputes between the members and the head of the council, 3) cancellation of elections, 4) failure of members to submit their source of funds declaration in accordance with the Illicit Enrichment Law, which resulted in their being considered no longer in office, and 5) death of a number of members.

Municipal by-elections took place twice. The first shall announce the dissolution of the council within time was in May 2012 when the by-elections covered maximum of one week from notifying the Ministry 57 municipalities, 31 of which had been dissolved of the Interior and Municipalities thereof. Should (or excluded from the 2010 elections such as the the municipal council be dissolved or considered Municipality of Aabey and the Municipality of Ain dissolved, a new council should be elected within a Drafeel) and 26 were newly introduced. The second two-month period from the date of the dissolution by-elections were held in March 2013 and covered 21 decree/decision (although the government has not municipalities, of which 10 had been dissolved and 11 abided by this period and many councils remain were newly introduced. Some of the municipal councils dissolved for months or even years). In such a broke apart in the first few weeks after the elections and case, the Qaim Maqam, the Head of the Division others were even dissolved more than once, such as the at the Qaim Maqamiyah, the Governor, or the Municipality of Al-Bireh in Akkar, the Municipality General Secretary at the Mohafaza Center may of Sahbine in Western Beqa’a and the Municipality of take on the duties of the municipal council until Hjoula in Byblos. Resignations were common in quite the election of a new municipality, pursuant to a few municipalities but those remained operative a decision issued by the Minister of Interior and from the legal perspective on the grounds that they still Municipalities. If the municipality is dissolved six maintained more than half their members. months before the expiry of its tenure, no elections will be held. Dissolution of Municipalities According to Articles 22, 23, 24 and 25 of the Problems of Municipality Dissolution Legislative Decree No. 118 dated June 30, 1977 (Law of The dissolution of the municipal council and the Municipalities), a municipal council may be dissolved failure to hold elections within two months from the or considered dissolved in the following two cases: dissolution disrupts the municipal work and thrusts By a duly reasoned decree formulated in the Cabinet the political parties and the families into a state of upon the proposition of the Minister of the Interior competition as they lie in wait for the elections, and Municipalities in the case where the municipal especially that the major responsibilities of the council commits recurrent substantial violations Qaem Maqam or the governor and the numerous that prove to be detrimental to the interest of the municipalities that would fall under their jurisdiction municipality. after dissolution may render them incapable of duly attending to municipal duties. If the municipal council loses at least half of its members due to death or resignation (resignation is Dissolved Municipalities usually submitted to the governor or Qaim Maqam) Between May 2010 and July 2014, 71 municipalities or if its election is annulled by an official ruling. have been dissolved for the different reasons stated The Minister of the Interior and Municipalities below.

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Dissolved municipalities and reasons for dissolution Table 1 No. of No. and date of the Reason for the Date of Municipality Qada’a Authority in charge members dissolution decision dissolution by-elections

Decision no. 1033 The council lost more Bissariyeh 15 Saida Governor of the South May 2012 dated June 14, 2010 than half its members

Decision no. 1173 Candidates withdrew their Hasbaya’s Qaim Al-Khalwat 9 Hasbaya May 2012 dated July 12, 2010 candidacy Maqam

Decision no. 1209 Candidates withdrew their Marjeyoun’s Qaim Ebl al-Saqi 12 Marjeyoun May 2012 dated June 19, 2010 candidacy Maqam

Decision no. 1210 Candidates withdrew their Baz’oun 12 Bsharri Bsharri’s Qaim Maqam May 2012 dated June 19, 2010 candidacy

Decision no. 1268 Alma Shaab 12 Tyre Lack of candidates Tyre’s Qaim Maqam May 2012 dated June 29, 2010

Decision no. 1505 The State Shura Council Nabha El- Baalbeck’s Qaim 9 Baalbeck dated September 3, annulled the results of the May 2012 Mehfara Maqam 2010 elections

Decision no. 1592 dated The council lost more Bint Jbeil’s Qaim Yater 15 Bint Jbeil May 2012 September 21, 2010 than half its members Maqam

Substantive Head of Jibrayel Decision no. 1714 The council lost more 12 Akkar Department at the May 2012 dated October 11, 2010 than half its members Qada’a

Decision no. 1726 Candidates withdrew their Baalbeck’s Qaim Hawsh Al-Nabi 9 Baalbeck May 2012 dated October 12, 2010 candidacy Maqam

Decision no. 2254 Al-Fakiha wal The council lost more Baalbeck’s Qaim 15 Baalbeck dated December 27, May 2012 Jdeideh than half its members Maqam 2010

Decision no. 2255 Western The council lost more Western Beqa’a’s Qaim Yohmur 12 dated December 27, May 2012 Beqa’a than half its members Maqam 2010

Decision no. 655 dated The council lost more Al-Qantara 9 Akkar Akkar’s Qaim Maqam May 2012 April 8, 2011 than half its members

Nabha El- Decision no. 656 dated The council lost more Baalbeck’s Qaim 12 Baalbeck May 2012 Qeddam April 8, 2011 than half of its members Maqam

Mennieh- Decision no. 657 dated The council lost more Al-Qotteen 12 Governor of the North May 2012 Donnieh April 8, 2011 than half its members

Decision no. 658 dated The council lost more Byaqout 9 Matn Matn’s Qaim Maqam May 2012 April 8, 2011 than half its members

Substantive Head of Decision no. 659 dated The council lost more Kfarjarra 9 Jezzine Department at the May 2012 April 8, 2011 than half its members Qada’a of Jezzine

Ardeh- Harf Decision no. 674 dated The council lost more 15 Zgharta Zgharta’s Qaim Maqam May 2012 Ardeh April 9, 2011 than half its members

Kfarmeshki- Decision no. 689 dated The State Shura Council Rashaya’s Qaim 12 Rashaya May 2012 Selsata April 12, 2011 annulled the elections Maqam

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May 2012 (elections were Shawagher Decision no. 688 dated The State Shura Council 12 Hermel Hermel’s Qaim Maqam postponed Fawqa/ Tahta April 8, 2011 annulled the elections for security reasons)

Nebha Decision no. 1186 The council lost more Baalbeck’s Qaim 15 Baalbeck May 2012 Damdoum dated July 20, 2011 than half its members Maqam

Decision no. 1400 The State Shura Council Kessrouan’s Qaim Bqaatouta 9 Kessrouan dated September 2, May 2012 annulled the elections Maqam 2011

Decision no. 1401 The State Shura Council Kessrouan’s Qaim Ajaltoun 12 Kessrouan dated September 2, May 2012 annulled the elections Maqam 2011

Decision no. 1402 The council lost more Rasheen 15 Zgharta dated September 2, Zgharta’s Qaim Maqam May 2012 than half its members 2011

Decision no. 1470 The council lost more Rechdebbine 9 Koura dated September 12, Koura’s Qaim Maqam May 2012 than half its members 2011

Decision no. 1778 The council lost more Tayr Harfa 15 Tyre Tyre’s Qaim Maqam May 2012 dated October 26, 2011 than half its members

Decision no. 2132 Western The council lost more Western Beqa’a’s Qaim Saghbine 15 dated December 27, May 2012 Beqa’a than half its members Maqam 2011

The State Shura Council considered the members resigned due to their Decision no. 271 dated Tekreet 15 Akkar failure to submit the Akkar’s Qaim Maqam May 2012 February 22, 2012 necessary declaration according to the Illicit Enrichment Law.

Decision no. 361 dated The council lost more Al-Bireh 15 Akkar Akkar’s Qaim Maqam May 2012 March 6, 2012 than half its members

The council did not Decree no. 7792 dated convene and the Sfariyeh 9 Jezzine Jezzine’s Qaim Maqam May 2012 March 20, 2012 municipality was quasi- impaired

Decision no. 536 dated The council lost more Hjoula 9 Byblos Byblos’ Qaim Maqam May 2012 April 2, 2012 than half its members

Decision no. 570 dated The council lost more Jezzine’s acting Qaim Kfarhouna 15 Jezzine March 2013 April 5, 2012 than half its members Maqam

Decision no. 792 dated The council lost more Awniyet 9 Akkar Akkar’s Qaim Maqam March 2013 May 10, 2012 than half its members

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Decision no. 1149 The council lost more Governor of Mount Qernayel 12 Baabda March 2013 dated June 29, 2012 than half its members Lebanon

Decision no. 998 dated The council lost more El-shouf’s Qaim Debbiyeh 12 El-Chouf March 2013 June 11, 2012 than half its members Maqam

Decision no. 1817 The council lost more Rashaya’s acting Qaim Bekfaya 9 Rashayya March 2013 dated October 8, 2012 than half its members Maqam

Decision no. 1818 The council lost more Akkar’s acting Qaim Kroum El-Arab 9 Akkar March 2013 dated October 8, 2012 than half its members Maqam

Decision no. 2057 The council lost more Zgharta’s acting Qaim Basloukit 9 Zgharta dated November 13, March 2013 than half its members Maqam 2012

Decision no. 2224 The council lost more Qbayyat 18 Akkar dated December 4, Akkar’s Qaim Maqam March 2013 than half its members 2012

By-elections took place after the dissolution of the previous council and Decision no. 2325 the current council was Akkar’s acting Qaim Al-Bireh 15 Akkar dated December 18, March 2013 dissolved anew upon Maqam 2012 the decision of the State Shura Council which annulled the elections.

Decision no. 2367 The council lost more Al-Kahaleh 15 Aley dated December 26, Aley’s Qaim Maqam March 2013 than half its members 2012

Mazraat El- Decision no. 105 dated The council lost more El-Chouf’s acting Qaim 15 El-Chouf March 2013 Shouf January 19, 2013 than half its members Maqam

Decision no. 191 dated The council lost more Elections did not Nabi Ila 9 Zahle Governor of the Beqa’a February 2, 2013 than half its members take place

Substantive Head of Decision no. 192 dated The council lost more Elections did not Reshmaya 15 Aley Department at the February 2, 2013 than half its members take place Qada’a of Aley

Decision no. 261 dated The council lost more Matn’s acting Qaim Elections did not Zaroun 9 Matn February 15, 2013 than half its members Maqam take place

The failure of three members to submit the Decision no. 794 dated Rashaya’s Qaim Elections did not Dahr El-Ahmar 9 Rashaya declaration associated May 13, 2013 Maqam take place with the Illicit Enrichment Law and the resignation of another three

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The failure of the head of the municipal council and the members (10) to Decision no. 795 dated submit the declaration Governor of Mount Elections did not Kfarselwan 12 Baabda May 13, 2013 associated with the Illicit Lebanon take place Enrichment Law as well as the death of two other members

Decision no. 1152 The council lost more Baalbeck’s Qaim Elections did not Chlifa 15 Baalbeck dated June 25, 2013 than half its members Maqam take place

Decision no. 1207 The council lost more Byblos’ acting Qaim Elections did not Jaj 12 Byblos dated July 3, 2013 than half its members Maqam take place

The council lost more Substantive Head of Decision no. 1284 than half its members; Elections did not Al-Bireh 15 Akkar Department at the dated July 16, 2013 this is the third dissolution take place Mohafaza of the Bireh municipality.

Decision no. 1386 The council lost more Batroun’s acting Qaim Elections did not Kouba 9 Batroun dated August 1, 2013 than half its members Maqam take place

Decision no. 1427 The council lost more Jezzine’s acting Qaim Elections did not Anan 9 Jezzine dated August 12, 2013 than half its members Maqam take place

Decision no. 1504 The council lost more Batroun’s acting Qaim Elections did not Abrin 12 Batroun dated August 26, 2013 than half its members Maqam take place

Decision no. 1569 The council lost more Elections did not Al-Mina 21 Tripoli dated September 2, Governor of the North than half its members take place 2013

Decision no. 1631 Substantive Head of The council lost more Elections did not Khorbet Daoud 9 Akkar dated September 12, Department at the than half its members take place 2013 Qada’a of Akkar

Decision no. 1632 Substantive Head of Al-Sheikh The council lost more Elections did not 12 Akkar dated September 12, Department at the Mohammad than half its members take place 2013 Mohafaza

The council lost more Decision no. 1951 than half its members; Byblos acting Qaim Elections did not Nahr Ibrahim 9 Byblos dated October 29, 2013 this is the third dissolution Maqam take place of the Bireh municipality.

Decision no. 1986 Bourj al- Mennieh- The council lost more Elections did not 9 dated November 1, Governor of the North Yahoudieh Dennieh than half its members take place 2013

Decision no. 2057 The council lost more Hasbaya’s Qaim Elections did not Hasbaya 15 Hasbaya dated November 11, than half its members Maqam take place 2013

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Decision no. 2151 The council lost more Baalbeck’s acting Qaim Elections did not Yammouneh 12 Baalbeck dated November 26, than half its members Maqam take place 2013

Decision no. 26 dated The council lost more Batroun’s acting Qaim Elections did not Asia 9 Batroun January 8, 2014 than half its members Maqam take place

Decision no. 53 dated The council lost more Elections did not Hjoula 9 Byblos Byblos Qaim Maqam January 15 , 2014 than half its members take place

Decision no. 430 dated The council lost more Marjeyoun’s Qaim Elections did not Burj Al-Mlouk 9 Marjeyoun March 18, 2014 than half its members Maqam take place

Decision no. 587 dated The council lost more Matn’s acting Qaim Elections did not Al-Mrouj 12 Matn April 7, 2014 than half its members Maqam take place

Decision no. 674 dated The council lost more Rashaya’s acting Qaim Elections did not Tannoura 9 Rashaya April 23, 2014 than half its members Maqam take place

Western Decision no. 675 dated The council lost more Western Beqa’a’s acting Elections did not Saghbine 15 Beqa’a April 23, 2014 than half its members Qaim Maqam take place

Decision no. 676 dated The council lost more Koura’s acting Qaim Elections did not Kfar Aqqa 15 Koura April 23, 2014 than half its members Maqam take place

Decision no. 872 dated The council lost more Mount Lebanon Elections did not Bmariam 9 Baabda May 16, 2014 than half its members Governor take place

The members did not attend the Aley Qaim Maqamiya to elect a Decree no. 11510 dated Aley’s acting Qaim Elections did not Ain Ksour 9 Aley president and a vice May 19, 2014 Maqam take place president for the council despite recurrent invitations.

Decision no. 1001 The council lost more Elections did not Deir Ames 12 Tyre Tyre’s Qaim Maqam dated May 31, 2014 than half its members take place

Source: Decisions issued by the Ministry of the Interior and Municipalities and published in the Official Gazette

In July 2014, Lebanon was home to 1,014 municipalities, seven of which were newly introduced and are run by the Qaim Maqam, the Governor or an official at the Qaim Maqamiya or the Mohafaza. There are also28 municipalities that have been dissolved and entrusted to the above mentioned authorities. As for the remaining existing municipalities, they do not necessarily accomplish their mandated tasks and are for the most part impaired entities marred by partisan and familial disputes. This should be a motive for redefining the role, functions and means of municipalities and to discuss and call into question the feasibility of the presence of so many municipalities in Lebanon.

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Customs exemptions for Embassies and Organizatioms

Lebanon has formal diplomatic ties with hundreds of countries around the world. These ties are maintained through the Lebanese embassies overseas and the foreign embassies hosted on Lebanese territories, with a few exceptions to the rule. Accredited embassies are entitled to import motor vehicles free of customs duties and registration taxes. Diplomatic license plates are used on these vehicles.

In the past few years, Arab and foreign embassies in Law no. 114, dated December 7, 1991 grants some Lebanon demanded the inclusion of more vehicles in exemptions to international non-governmental the customs exemption scheme following an increase organizations or to those regional federations in their diplomatic workforce. Amid the indiscriminate established with the consent or upon the increase in the number of diplomatic license plates and recommendation of the Arab League Council or as low-profile employees given occasionally access to within the framework of the Economic Council diplomatic cars, the diplomatic license plate has lost its of the Arab League or the organizations affiliated symbolic value, noting that the current regulations have with the League, provided that these organizations set the number of diplomatic license plates at two per have their headquarters in Lebanon. Exemptions embassy, with a possibility to raise the number if needed. include customs duties, construction taxes and However, the Lebanese government meets the demands stamp duties. Salaries are not tax exempt. of embassies without investigating if there is any urgency for the requested license plates, in consistency with its Exempted Cars open foreign policy and its wish not to infuriate foreign The Customs Law thus allows any one embassy two countries, particularly the major powers. tax-free cars but also includes a contrasting provision authorizing a higher number should the need arise. Legal framework of exemption Hence, most embassies have far exceeded the limit as Exemptions, especially customs exemptions, are illustrated clearly in Tables 1 and 2. granted on the basis of two laws: Articles 300 and 304 of the Customs Law stipulate Sample of the embassies exempted Table 1 exempting the cars intended to be used by from customs duties embassies or formal commissions from customs No. of exempted No. of the additional cars Embassy/ State duties. The number of the exempted cars shall cars previously exempted in the past few years be two and may be raised pursuant to a decision taken by the Higher Customs Council upon the China 7 2 proposition of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Canada 14 3 and the approval of the Cabinet. The customs exemption also covers the construction materials Kuwait 65 15 used in building or renovating embassies or commissions, with the exception of those materials Palestine 2 3 that make part of national production. These privileges and exemptions are not granted unless Norway 2 1 Sultanate of legislation at the home country of the diplomatic 7 5 mission or the consulate allows similar or even Oman better prerogatives to the members of the Lebanese Ukraine 4 2 mission. Otherwise, privileges and exemptions shall be reciprocated within the framework that is Armenia 5 - being applied in the relevant countries. Source: Proceedings of Cabinet meetings.

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Number of cars exempted from Number of cars exempted from customs duties by regional Table 2 customs duties by regional Table 2 unions and organizations unions and organizations Federation/ Organization No. of exempted cars Federation/ Organization No. of exempted cars

Arab Federation for Wildlife Protection 5 Federation of Arab Engineers 5

Arab Economic Forum 5 Arab Federation of Exchanges 2

International Management Group 5 Palestine Legal Aid Fund 5

Arabic Language International Council 5 Arab Thought Foundation 5

DCAF 5 Center for Arab Unity Studies 5

Arab Forum for Environment and Federation of Arab Banks 5 5 Development General Union of Arab Chambers of 5 World Union of Arab Bankers 2 Commerce, Industry and Agriculture

Arab Union for Surveying 2 Societe International De 5 Telecommunications Aeronautiques Union of Arab ICT Associations 2 Arab Federation for Hotels & Tourism 5 Arab Anti Corruption Organization 5 Association des universités partiellement ou 5 The Arab Federation of Shipping 5 entièrement de langue française (AUPELF)

Source: Decrees issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants.

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Vacancy rates in Grade 4 and Grade 5 posts 1893 vacant posts

Vacancies in the Lebanese civil service are not restricted to the highest posts (Grade 1, 2 and 3). As a matter of fact, the phenomenon seems much more rampant within the lower grades reaching as high as 73% in Grade 4 and 81% in Grade 5. The vacancy rate registered in Grade 1 posts is 29%.

Vacant posts by administration 1310 posts are vacant in Grade 4 and 583 in Grade 5, totaling combined 1893 posts. These posts are distributed by administration as follows:

Vacancies in Grade 4 and Grade 5 posts by administration

Administration Clerk Accountant Typist Data entry officer Concierge Total

Directorate General of the Presidency of 1 - 2 2 2 7 the Republic

Directorate General of the Office of Prime 9 3 5 6 15 38 Minister

Directorate General of Finance 109 - 13 - 82 204

Directorate General of Lebanese Lottery 6 3 - - 2 11

Directorate General of Real Estate Affairs 65 2 1 15 25 108

Directorate General of Customs - - 15 - 21 36

Civil Service Board 9 1 5 5 5 25

Central Inspection 10 - 3 - 7 20

Audit Court 4 - 4 - 3 11

Central Administration of Statistics 10 - 12 13 12 47

Higher Disciplinary Committee 2 1 2 - 1 6

Ministry of Justice 13 2 8 13 13 49

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants 32 10 21 3 15 81

Ministry of the Interior and Municipalities 10 2 5 - 4 21

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Vacanciies in Grade 4 and Grade 5 posts by administration

Administration Clerk Accountant Typist Data entry officer Concierge Total

Directorate General of Personal Status 100 1 35 - 50 186

Directorate General of Local 8 1 7 - 6 22 Administrations and Councils

Directorate General of Political Affairs and 10 - 5 - 2 17 Refugees

Mohafazas: Beirut, Mount Lebanon, North Lebanon, South Lebanon, Akkar, Beqa’a, 31 - 42 9 16 98 Baalbeck/Hermel, Nabatieh

Ministry of Public Works and Transport 39 7 34 51 72 203

Ministry of Education and Higher 8 111 74 7 99 299 Education

Ministry of Public Health 4 1 - - 25 30

Ministry of Economy and Commerce - - - 2 2 4

Ministry of Agriculture 66 6 17 3 28 120

Ministry of Labor 7 1 5 15 1 29

Ministry of Information 9 4 - 13 13 39

Ministry of Energy and Water 23 2 13 12 10 60

Ministry of Tourism 6 1 - 2 6 15

Ministry of Culture 8 1 5 2 30 46

Ministry of Environment - 1 - 1 - 2

Ministry of Youth and Sports 8 1 7 3 3 22

Ministry of Social Affairs - - 1 2 6 9

Ministry of Industry 6 1 8 6 7 28

Total 613 163 349 185 583 1893

Source: Proceeding of the Cabinet session dated January 25, 2012

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The Internal Security Forces directorate general

The Internal Security Forces is the second largest military institution in Lebanon after the Lebanese Army. Its duties differ from those of the Army although it may occasionally require its help. Complaints over the complacency of the staff at ISF in addressing different types of violations, such as those of traffic and construction, have been growing by the day. Yet, these are often met with various excuses including the lack of personnel, the absence of a decisive political decision and the political authority’s tolerance of violations.

ISF Establishment On September 20, 1920, the French High Commissioner 1 civil servant. In exceptional cases, the position may issued a decision stipulating the organization of Greater be awarded to a Lebanese Army colonel or any higher- Lebanon’s gendarmerie, which included the Lebanese ranking army officer. The ISF Director General is Sunni gendarmerie and parts of the Syrian gendarmerie. The by convention. All ISF commanding officers fall under latter consisted of 1200 members, including 37 officers, the Director General’s authority and are responsible who were in charge of some of the territories adjoined before him for all the duties assigned to them, with the to Greater Lebanon. As for the establishment of the ISF exception of the Inspector General who is associated Directorate General, it occurred during President Fouad with the Minister of the Interior and Municipalities. Chehab’s term of office, pursuant to Legislative Decree no. 13 issued on June 12, 1954, which increased the ISF Organization number of ISF personnel to 4600 members and officers. The Internal Security Forces consists of the following units: 1. The Directorate General includes the Director General, Functions and role of the ISF the General Staff and the Central Administration: According to Law No. 17/90, the Internal Security Forces The General Staff consists of the units are public armed forces with jurisdictions covering the responsible for preparing studies and offering entire Lebanese territory as well as its territorial waters advice to the Director General. and air space. The law established its functions as an The Central Administration consists of all administrative and judicial police as follows: the administrative and technical departments Ensuring public order responsible for managing the ISF funds and Protecting individuals and property gear and equipment as well as the premises Protecting freedoms within the framework of law belonging to them or put at their disposal. Executing legal rules and regulations 2. The Social Service Administration: this Fulfilling the functions of the judicial police encompasses the ISF newsletter and the funds of Executing letters rogatory a special nature established by decrees in favor of Carrying out judicial warrants and verdicts the ISF as well as all the institutions associated Assisting public authorities in their duties with these funds, the clubs and other cultural, Guarding public administrations and institutions, intellectual and social services. as decided by the relevant authorities 3. The Territorial Gendarmerie consists of all the units Guarding prisons and running them when necessary operating outside Beirut except for those units which (prison management has been entrusted to the remain wholly or partly attached to any other unit. Ministry of Justice but this is not being applied) 4. The Mobile Battalion is the ISF general reserve Guarding diplomatic missions in Lebanon force that is organized, equipped and trained to ensure security and maintain order across all of Lebanon. It Director General includes all the mobile units within and outside Beirut. The ISF Directorate General is run by a Director General 5. The Police of Beirut: Its prerogatives cover the who is directly linked to the Minister of the Interior and region of Beirut. It consists of the units operating Municipalities. Typically, this post is assigned to an ISF under its authority except for those units which officer carrying the rank of Colonel or above or to a Grade remain wholly or partly connected to another unit.

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6. The Judicial Police: its prerogatives cover the Reducing the periods of seniority for promotions whole of Lebanon. It comprises the Forensic among enlisted men and non-commissioned officers Police, the Tourist Police, the Anti-Crime Unit and Proposing the granting of exceptional promotion seniority the Investigation and Inquiries Unit. for officers carrying the rank of Major and below 7. The Embassy and Public Administration Posthumously promoting the martyrs among ISF’s Security Regiment: its prerogatives cover all of enlisted men and non-commissioned officers. Lebanon. It consists of all the units responsible Posthumously proposing the promotion of ISF’s officers. for guarding the dwellings of diplomatic missions Selecting those qualified non-commissioned officers in Lebanon as well as those of the public for the rank of lieutenant administrations. Preparing the officers’ schedules of promotion to the 8. The Internal Security Forces Institute: it rank of Colonel and below. consists of all colleges, schools and training Determining the centers to which officers will be centers of the ISF. transferred, save inspectors general and unit leaders. Subjecting enlisted men and non-commissioned The Command Council officers to the punishment of dismissal from In addition to the Director General, there is a Command promotion schedules and demotions. Council operating directly under the Ministry of the Proposing the punishment of officers ranking from Interior and Municipalities. It consists of: Colonel or below through dismissal from promotion The Director General as Head of Council schedules and demotions. The Inspector General Assigning centers to officers save those unit leaders All the chiefs of the above-mentioned units who are subject to punitive disciplinary transfers. Setting the promotion schedules of enlisted men and The Council convenes upon the invitation of the non-commissioned officers. Director General or upon the call of half of its Establishing voluntary enrolment regulations. members. It may decide to summon whomever it Establishing the regulations for qualification exams. deems fit to attend the sessions and its deliberations Setting the rules for separating ISF members are characterized by utter secrecy. The Head of the Drafting the instructions concerning the rules and Private Affairs Division assumes the responsibilities regulations for promotion, the renewal of enrolment of the Council’s secretariat and decisions are made contracts and the setting of transferring centers. unanimously or by a majority of at least eight votes. Returning ISF members whose contracts were terminated to normal service. The Command Council is in charge of: Proposing the establishment of units and the names Evolution of ISF personnel thereof ISF personnel grew from 4,600 members and officers Drafting general schedules of military personnel in 1960 to more than 23,000 in 2013. Since the ISF and equipment directorate has been assigned 29,495 vacancies, efforts are Drafting detailed schedules of the distribution of now under way to recruit more personnel to fill the vacant military personnel and equipment posts and strike a sectarian balance within this security Appointing trained gendarmes and non- body, especially that Muslims account for 66% of the total commissioned members ISF workforce while Christians make up only 36%. Proposing the appointment of officers and specialist officers Evolution of the ISF personnel Table 1 Terminating the contracts of trained gendarmes and Year Personnel size (members and officers) non-commissioned officers Rejecting the renewal of voluntary enrolment 1960 4,600 contracts of enlisted men and non-commissioned 1974 6,400 officers with poor rates 1978 7,532 Approving the renewal of the voluntary enrolment contracts of enlisted men and non-commissioned 1991 9,000 officers as a general rule for a minimum of two years 1997 15,000 Approving the discharge of enlisted men and non- commissioned officers should there be compelling reasons 2013 23,041

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Electoral laws | 23

Parliament of India Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha

With a population of roughly 1.3 billion people, India is considered to be the largest democracy in the world. It adopts a democratic system best manifested through its parliamentary elections. India hosted parliamentary elections for the first time in 1952 and has continued to do so.

Indian Parliament The Indian National Congress obtained 44 seats only, India has a bicameral Parliament consisting of: an ultimate defeat down from 206 seats in 2009. Women Rajya Sabha or the Council of States representatives in Parliament totaled 62 with Sumitra Lok Sabha or the House of Representatives Mahajan serving as the incumbent Speaker of the house.

The two chambers constitute India’s legislative branch and Distribution of seats per state and union territory Table 1 join with each other to carry out many duties at the forefront District/State # of seats of which is the election of a president of the republic. Andhra Pradesh 80 Uttarakhand 5 Council of States Haryana 10 The Council of States consists of 245 members, out of Himachal Pradesh 4 which 233 are elected indirectly as representatives of the Jammu&Kashmir 6 29 States and Union territories and 12 are nominated by Jharkhand 14 the President. The allocation of seats to the States and Carla 20 Union Territories is a decision based on the population of West Bengal 42 each state. As for the members nominated by the President, they are selected on the basis of their skills, knowledge Assam 14 and practical experience in the fields of literature, science, Bihar 40 art and social service. The Council, which is chaired by Andhra Pradesh 25 the Vice President of the Republic, renews the election of Oronasal 2 one third of its members every two years. Andaman 1 Chandigarh 1 House of Representatives Chacha 11 The House of Representatives is composed of 538 Delhi 7 members elected directly for a five-year term. The Dadra 1 party or coalition that gains a majority of 272 seats is Daman 1 nominated to chair the government. Gawa 2 Gujarat 26 Voting system Sikkim 1 India uses a plurality voting system. Any Indian citizen Karnataka 28 who is 18 years of age is entitled to exercise his/her Manor 2 voting right. In the elections held in April-May 2014, Tripura 2 814.5 million voters turned out for elections in 930,000 Telangana 17 polling stations, i.e. up by 100 million voters from 2009. Rajasthan 25 Madhya Pradesh 29 Elections span for five weeks and are held in nine Maharashtra 48 phases starting April 7 and ending May 12. The seats Meghalaya 8 vary between 1 and 80 in the 36 districts- 29 States and Odisha 21 7 Union territories- depending on the population of each Mizoram 1 district, as illustrated in Table 1 Lakshadweep 13 Most recent elections Lakshya-ii 1 Roughly 15,000 candidates ran in the most recent Pondicherry or Puducherry 1 elections of April-May 2014. The results yielded the Nagaland 1 success of the National People’s Party with 266 seats. Tamil Nadu 39

issue 148 | November 2014 24| PROMINENT FORGOTTEN FIGURES Maurice Gemayel Designer of Lebanon, advocate of antoun Saadeh and founder of the Phalanges’ Party

The name of Maurice Gemayel has always been synonymous with development and planning. He was rightfully dubbed the designer of Lebanon and the master of planning, a process that seems quasi-alien to our state today.

Birth and upbringing The son of Elias Gemayel, Maurice Gemayel was born Three candidates, Maurice Gemayel, Jamil Lahoud and in the Egyptian city of Mansoura on April 25, 1910. He Vartex Shamilian won from the first list and Camille attended school there until 1920 when his parents returned Chamoun and Albert Moukhaiber won from the second. to their hometown in Bekfaya. He then enrolled at the Maurice Gemayel staged a strong presence as he was able Aintoura Lazarite School in Kessrouan. to compete against Chamoun. This victory came after two consecutive losses, the first in 1953 when Gemayel ran Higher education in Beirut 2 and the second in 1957 in Metn. He was re- In 1929, he moved to France where he studied law at the elected in 1964 and again in 1968 when another ferocious Sorbonne University. He graduated with a law degree in 1932. battle unfolded between two lists: the Chehabi List and the Tripartite Alliance List headed by Maurice Gemayel, Professional life which won in its entirety by a wide margin. Maurice Gemayel began legal practice after returning from France. He was simultaneously involved in politics Gemayel’s victory gave him ministerial opportunities. and he is said to have engaged first with the Syrian Social On August 1, 1960, he was appointed Minister of State in Nationalist Party. Later, he joined his brother-in-law charge of the financial and development affairs under the (husband of Genevieve Gemayel) to establish the Lebanese Saeb Salam government. He remained in office until May Phalanges Party and was in charge of the party’s weekly 20, 1961. Later on November 25, 1969, he was appointed newspaper, Al-Amal. He entered the parliamentarian realm Minister of Planning and served in this post until October as MP representing the Metn district following his win at 13, 1970. the elections in June 1960, which were marked by fierce competition, especially since the former President of the Achievements Republic Camille Chamoun was running as a candidate in Maurice Gemayel conducted studies and drew up designs the same district in alliance with the Syrian Social Nationalist and plans for most of the sectors, believing that otherwise, Party against his one-time ally, the Phalanges Party. no state can ever live up to its duties. Foremost among his milestones: Two main rival lists were formed: A water master plan for Lebanon The Lebanese List: Designing agcricultural and industrial production Maurice Gemayel: 19337 votes plans Major General Jamil Lahoud (father of the former Regulating banks President of the Republic Emile Lahoud): 18197 votes Regulating commerce Edward Abou Jaoude: 16092 votes Regulating tourism and summer vacations Michel el-Murr : 15064 votes Drawing up plans for transportation Vartex Shamilian: 17123 votes Drawing up plans for oil industry Designing the Beirut-Beqa’a tunnel The National Coalition List: Drawing up the Litani River plan Camille Chamoun: 17252 votes Brain Bank Project Salim Lahoud (father of the former MP Nassib Lahoud Drawing up designs for monetary, credit and borrowing and cousin of Jamil Lahoud): 13634 votes sectors Assad Ashkar (SSNP candidate): 16265 votes Albert Moukhaiber: 15945 votes Alongside Charles Helou, Said Hamadeh , Edmont Dikran Tosbath: 15282 Rabbat and Costantine Rizk, he contributed to the

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. PROMINENT FORGOTTEN FIGURES |25 establishment of the Center for Palestinian Studies in 1963 It has become clear to us that the rule laid down by the and he was the author of several works and articles. His Lebanese elite made it imperative to consider three main political activity within the Phalanges Party was marked aspects if we wanted wishes to be more than just ink on paper. by distinct positions and stances and he even defended Antoun Saadeh, founder of the SSNP in 1937. First, those in control of the sensitivities of the masses should participate in bearing political responsibility. Obtaining the Death approval of the masses on what has been agreed upon should Destiny did not allow Maurice Gemayel to realize the not pose a difficulty, provided that the figures handling plans for development he had in mind for Lebanon. After grassroots responsibilities should act as a coordinator the election of Suleiman Frangieh as President of the between the ministries each working in a particular field. Republic, Saeb Salam was designated to form the new government, which he called the Youth Government. Secondly, we should initiate the battle of rating the During the ministerial statement discussion on October situation in the country, getting acquainted with its facts 17, 1970, Maurice Gemayel suffered a heart attack soon and identifying its problems and issues in an adequate, after he finished his speech. He was rushed to the hospital scientific and thorough manner. Through this objective and but did not survive. He died on October 31 at the age of 60. factual knowledge, we should underline all the foundations, principles, standards, solutions and treatments. He married Josette Awad and had seven children with her. Hence, the first stage is the stage of preliminary work, Successor preparation, planning, identification of the facts and Because of his significant role, the death of Maurice complete elucidation of the matters because what Gemayel left a great vacuum in Parliament. By-elections we are immersed in in this country is ambiguity and were held in Metn and the battle was predestined to misunderstandings ensuing among groups of people as favor Sheikh Amine Gemayel (Maurice’s nephew) who a result of the lack of clarity. Lebanon’s primary enemy, amassed 16977 votes against his rival Fouad Lahoud who at this stage in particular, is ambiguity. This is why I had 12832 votes. pleaded with the Prime Minister to form a government that encompasses three kinds of officials: Maurice Gemayel’s last words The first kind: the official in charge of the masses who In what follows, we recall the major highlights of should be more of a coordinator than an employee. Gemayel’s discussion of the ministerial statement on October 17, 1970, before heart attack hit him: The second kind: the official who should be a successful “Before I proceed to read my speech at this great employer running large-scale businesses, because session, I would like to extend a word of gratitude to His employers have a special perceptive insight and an Excellency, Minister of Information Ghassan Tueini who accurate understanding of how to run groups, how to has allowed the entire nation, through radio and television define the functions of experts, how to select them, frequencies, to partake in our job, even if that meant employ them and make use of their reports and studies. stopping censorship of the session. This kind of work is entrusted to a specific kind of men who should not be holders of advanced degrees and the Now that I have expressed my appreciation of the first act, proof… I will not mention any names. You can sure infer which made democracy assume its truest meanings, I am now them yourselves. going to speak, as a former Minister of Planning, about the data that transpired to me during the change of government A kind of survey I conducted on the institution of this and about the roadmap to forming a government in the modern employer who hires thousands of workers made me realize sense. Here, I must begin by thanking two senior officials: that the man had not even completed elementary education. Speaker of the House Sabri Hamadeh who mitigated the Yet, he is employing more than twenty international experts, circumstances, thus allowing us to consult for the first time in each earning 30 pounds a day. Those experts can offer an the Parliament hall representatives of all the economic, social objective and actual contribution to the elucidation of the and cultural activities, and PM Rashid Karami who, through matters and the clarification of the obscure. his presence and contribution, has allowed us, for the first time in not only the history of this country, but the history After our review of the Social Guide in Lebanon, we of the entire Arab World, to consult the people on the policy have found out that there are more than 80 institutions of that should be drawn to maintain the affairs of their country. such large scale in Lebanon, all of which are chaired by Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, for that was the first stepping- people who have demonstrated their efficiency, success stone towards the true principle of democracy. and expertise.

issue 148 | November 2014 26| PROMINENT FORGOTTEN FIGURES

We are standing today before this ministry in its current A group of municipalities has been dissolved. Their works shape. What is my opinion as a former minister? have utterly failed. At this moment, the orator lashed out First, I hope that it will not be involved in carrying out at his audience: “ I will not proceed if you do not show political activities in ministries that were never designed to some respect for my words. I will not put up with this ritual advance political agendas. If it engaged in a political activity that one MP is fit and another is ‘second class’. We are all of any kind other than running regular traditional affairs, MPs and we should all work towards respecting deputy- it would be thrusting itself in areas beyond the functions ship. I hope I will not be forced to repeat my words for assigned to this ministry where competencies abound as I fear that may incur consequences. Foremost among these previously mentioned. I hope it will have plenty of time to consequences is that I will resign from Parliament, go win the battle of elimination of ambiguity. before voters and tell them ‘this is how they treat MPs. I am not prepared to let anyone, whomsoever, degrade my In principle, the youth and the students succeeded in forming worth as I speak. this ministry and for that, they have earned our appreciation. The country is in an unconstitutional state. No replacements In this context, I must note that PM Saeb Salam has had were elected for the dissolved municipalities due to enough audacity to take such a step. There is no need to circumstances, which we all are aware of. However, it is repeat all that has been reported in the ministerial statement. no longer acceptable to continue to deprive voters of the However there is a clause in the third page that I cannot opportunity to have their say in the authority that is directly ignore: “.. the government shall also deposit in Parliament responsible for their comfort in their own towns, especially the draft law stipulating the establishment of the Social that the powers of a group of municipalities have been Economic Council, which had been discussed by preceding handed to the Qaim Maqam. governments.” Every country is compelled to put forward urban plans. I call on all colleagues to pay close attention to what I am This is inescapable. This means that each country should going to say because this is no laughing matter. When I have an Ikoshar project- or a better or worse one. But speak, I speak very seriously and I put jokes aside. If you do I have something to say to Minister Eddéh who is one not want to listen to me, I will withdraw immediately. All of those who have played an effective role in the Urban things far from serious are totally unacceptable to me. For Planning Higher Council and who is familiar with some those wondering, I will give the government my confidence of the aspects surrounding the council’s opinions. He was and I will demonstrate why. also an active contributor to the Council of Planning at the Ministry of Planning. I devised the plan of organizing the Lebanese people for purposes of participation because every citizen should I am not saying that urban planning is inexistent. But when partake effectively in his/her country’s policies, contrary the state decides on certain urban plans, it should continue to what Lloyd George had said in the House of Commons to bear the consequences of its decision until the very end, of the United Kingdom. Lloyd George reported that the not just lay the burden on the poor contractor. When German British citizen used to utilize his citizenship for only a few Emperor Willhelm wanted to build a road that would lead to seconds every four years, when he/she cast his/her vote in his palace in Potsdam, the mill owner refused to surrender the elections. his mill, which was blocking the palace’s line of sight and thus he fell out with the emperor’s guards. The guards said The Social Economic council does not go far enough. I ‘we will demolish the mill by force. He replied: ‘there are hope that it will be renamed the Popular Organization for judges in Berlin.’ Participation and that it will immediately implement what the previous government had decided, for the government I hope that no measures will be taken to liquidate the rights did not have enough time to establish a secretariat for the of the deprived people in order to escape the consequences of Lebanese people and entrust them with the realization of the damages incurred upon them. You may expropriate all the this participation. An employee was instead appointed to Lebanese plots of land and do whatever you desire with them. carry out this task temporarily. I requested Mr. Shaaya, the head of the Council of Major Projects in Beirut to lay down an urban planning study and it I am pleased to also announce that a few hours prior to turned out that the expropriation of all the territories under the our departure from the ministry, the interior and planning Lebanese republic would cost LBP 14 billion. If you want to ministers had signed a decision to establish the first regional transform Lebanon’s plots of land to a global paradise, do it parliament, which would ensure the decentralization noted at the expense of the state not the people. Otherwise, you will in the ministerial statement itself. It is my hope that the be violating the constitution because the first article of the decision will not be neglected and that efforts will kick up Constitution establishes that property should be protected. immediately to initiate our first experience with a regional Therefore, you cannot infringe on property, neither for total parliament. nor for partial expropriation.”

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Health |27

Atrial Fibrillation |Dr. Hanna Saadah|

Atrial fibrillation is an abnormal heart rhythm that causes the heart to beat irregularly and often very fast. Rapid, irregular heartbeats cause a decline in cardiac output (blood pumping efficiency), strain the heart muscle and lead to fatigue, shortness of breath and serious cardiac events. This abnormal heart rhythm also causes the left atrium to To investigate this dilemma, two groups quiver instead of pump, allowing blood to pool in the left of researchers (New England Journal atrial cavity. When blood pools, it tends to clot, and the of Medicine, June 26, 2014) studied clots pass into the left ventricle. From the left ventricle, patients with cryptogenic strokes using advanced heart they are pumped out with the blood into the great arteries. monitoring technologies. The aim of their studies was When these clots reach the brain, they cause sudden to see if patients with cryptogenic strokes have transient strokes. episodes of atrial fibrillation, which could be the reason why blood clots had travelled to their brains. Strokes caused by tiny clots are quickly cleared by the body’s anti-clotting defenses, leaving the brain In one study, which monitored heart rhythm for 30 days undamaged. These strokes are called transient ischemic in 280 patients with cryptogenic strokes, 45 (16%) had attacks or TIAs. Typically the victim experiences episodes of atrial fibrillation. In another study, which weakness on one side of the body or trouble talking and monitored heart rhythm for three years, 8.9% had episodes then promptly recovers. Such transient ischemic attacks of atrial fibrillation in the first six months, 12.4% had are warning signs because they are often followed by episodes in the first 12 months, and 30% had episodes by major strokes. the end of three years. Patients who were diagnosed with episodic atrial fibrillation, and who had their blood thinned Strokes caused by bigger clots can cause significant with anticoagulants, suffered fewer strokes over time. brain damage, which may not improve with time. These dreaded strokes might leave the patient paralyzed on one The commonly known cardiovascular risk factors that side and unable to talk or swallow or attend to personal predispose individuals to develop atrial fibrillation needs. are similar to those that predispose individuals to have strokes. Besides high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Atrial fibrillation is only one of the many causes of diabetes, obesity, smoking, heart failure and older age - strokes, but it is an important cause because it is treatable. high thyroid is one important, additional factor. Another The treatment involves two strategies: a) the normal less known, less obvious, but more common factor is the heart rhythm can be restored with medications, electric elusive syndrome of obstructive sleep apnea. shock, or by ablating the abnormal nerves through heart catheterization; b) the rapid heartbeats can be slowed Obstructive sleep apnea, which is caused by narrowing down with medications to relieve the heart strain caused and collapse of our upper airways during sleep, chokes by the ultra rapid rate. Treating the irregular heartbeats is our breathing at night and leaves us tired and sleepy called rhythm control, slowing the heartbeats is called rate the next day. It is a highly under-diagnosed condition, control, and depending on the situation, the cardiologist which occurs in 17% of adults, increases with obesity and may favor one treatment over another. age, and gets worse with time. It occurs in up to 50% of patients with diabetes or hypertension, and in 30%-40% Another essential treatment entails thinning the blood to of patients with coronary artery disease (Cleveland Clinic prevent clots from forming. To achieve that, special anti- Journal of Medicine, August, 2014). clotting medications are used and this process is known as anticoagulation, which is a life long treatment for most Patients with sleep apnea are at a much higher risk for atrial fibrillation patients. Aspirin, which is also a blood heart rhythm disturbances, including atrial fibrillation. thinner, is not as good at preventing clots. Moreover, patients whose atrial fibrillation was electrically converted had a much higher rate of relapse There are other causes of strokes such as defective heart when their sleep apnea was not also treated, and their rate valves, defective brain arteries, high blood pressure, high of relapse was proportional to the lower levels of oxygen cholesterol, blocked carotid arteries, etc. Hence, when they dropped down to during sleep. Also, patients treated a patient has a stroke, the common causes of strokes are for sleep apnea had a significant decline in cardiac rhythm thoroughly investigated and appropriately addressed. disturbances and cardiac events, whereas those untreated Problems arise, however, when a cause cannot be had three times more cardiac events plus an increased discovered. Strokes, which have no discernable cause, risk of sudden death during sleep. Hence, patients with are called cryptogenic strokes and represent 20% to 40% cryptogenic strokes or with atrial fibrillation should be of all strokes. Such cryptogenic strokes present a clinical screened for obstructive sleep apnea because treatment dilemma because, unless a cause is ultimately discovered, of this elusive condition has been shown to improve further strokes cannot be prevented. clinical outcomes. www.hannasaadah.com - www.information-international.com - [email protected] issue 148 | November 2014 28| Health

|Maya Nahoul| Free cooking Nutritional Consultant How to Cook with no risk!

We are always in a hurry, trying to provide the best meals possible for our families and tend to forget some important safety issues regarding preparing, cooking, serving and often, reheating food.

4 - Stir your food: using the microwave, remember to stir the dish to ensure it is evenly hot (or the bacteria can survive).

5 - Think about the refrigerator: never keep fresh food or dishes at room temperature for more than 2 hours in winter and for over an hour in the summer when the temperature can exceed plus 32 degree celcius.

Most families, because of the fast working environment 6- Thawing food: when thawing food outside the fridge, we live in, try to prepare food ahead of time for the the bacteria can multiply and increase. Instead, thaw week or make big portions so that they last longer. safely in the refrigerator by placing a tray underneath This technique is correct as long as you watch out for to prevent the juices from leaking into the refrigerator. bacterias, know how to prepare food and store your Another method is to defrost the food in cold prepared food in the freezer and not in the fridge. water, changing the water every 30 minutes And if you are in a hurry, utilise the microwave . These are some quick and easy to remember tips while Be careful in all cases, food must be cooked without cooking. Try them as they will do you good: delay!

1- Wash hands and work tools often: disinfect work 7 - Do not reheat a dish for more than two times and surface, sponges and tools and wash at a temperature never refreeze thawed food, that’s when bacteria of at least 63 degree Celsius. and micro-organisms multiply and can cause food poisoning. 2- Avoid cross-contamination: Separate food - place food away from each other to prevent their juices from mixing - in cooking, use different boards for fresh produce; raw meat, eggs, chicken, fish, fruits and vegetables, bread and already prepared food to eat.

3- Keep the temperature before, during and after the cooking: to prevent yourself from the hazard zone (zone where bacteria multiply rapidly and can cause serious food poisoning - this can happen 2 hours after the food is left in a temperature of 18 and 60 degree celcius. A temperature of 64 degree C and above is considered as reasonable and sound).

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. [email protected] Interview |29

The Monthly interviews Dr. Samia Khoury director of the MS center at the AUBMC

Recent years have seen a rise in the prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis both in Lebanon and in other Arab countries. MS is an incurable autoimmune disease, and thus diagnosing it at its early stages helps mitigate the symptoms and allows patients to lead their lives normally. To gain more insight into this disease and increase awareness about it, The Monthly interviewed Dr. Samia Khoury, director of the MS center at the AUBMC and an acclaimed authority on the subject.

Dr. Samia Khoury

First of all, could you please provide a brief sketch When was the MS center established? of your educational and professional background? Multiple Sclerosis is a very interesting disease as I obtained my Medical Diploma from the American it is an intersection between two fascinating fields: University of Beirut in 1984 and then went to immunology and neurology. The center is the only one Cleveland’s Case Western Reserve for specialty training of its kind in the region and was launched in October in neurology. After my training there, I followed 2011. I conducted all the interviews and the selection subspecialty training at Harvard Medical School and of staff myself. Our clinical staff consists currently of completed post-doctoral fellowship before I became a two physicians, Dr. Yammout and myself, two certified faculty member. With time I was promoted to Professor MS nurses, a pharmacist, a managing director, a social of Neurology. Afterwards, I was awarded an endowed worker, executive assistant and so forth. Psychologists chair at Harvard and served simultaneously as co- also attend the center after hours to run patient support director of the Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center. This is groups. In addition to the clinical staff, we have a basically my professional and educational profile. I took research staff including a research coordinator, a a leave of absence and accepted a visiting professorship laboratory manager and two research fellows. at Harvard when I was summoned back to AUB in 2011 as Head of the Abu Haidar Neuroscience Institute When a patient arrives at the MS center, he/she is seen (AHNI), which encompasses basic neurosciences, first by a nurse. Nurses take a history of clinically- neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry. Given that both relevant information and subject patients to a cognitive Lebanon and the region lacked specialized Multiple processing-speed test, a walking test, and a test on hand Sclerosis facilities at the time, we decided to establish a function. Then, the pharmacist obtains their medication Multiple Sclerosis Center at AUBMC within the AHNI. history and documents all currently and previously Although I have recently given up my endowed chair prescribed drugs before I step in to elicit and evaluate at Harvard, I am still involved in clinical multicenter this information and make the neurological exam and research trials in the US. the diagnosis.

issue 148 | November 2014 30| Interview

What is MS? Is Multiple Sclerosis curable? Our immune system usually fights off germs and MS is incurable, but this is the case with many cancer cells and provides continuous surveillance diseases. There is currently no treatment that can cure of the body. The system is designed to recognize cardiovascular diseases or hypertension or diabetes. antigens- foreign substances on the surface of cells- But there are efficacious treatments that can relieve and react to them. In Multiple Sclerosis, as is the case the symptoms, prevent progression and improve with all auto-immune diseases, the immune system quality of life. Unfortunately, people hold and pass identifies harmless self-antigens as foreign and on the misconceptions that MS patients are doomed attacks them. In the case of MS, the immune system to death or debilitation and this is one of the long- mistakes myelin- the coating that protects nerve standing myths that we are trying to dispel through fibers and helps messages travel quickly between the our awareness campaigns and educational seminars. brain and the rest of the body- for a foreign body and We have even made a video in collaboration with the reacts against it causing inflammation. The loss of the Ministry of Public Health in order to impart a true myelin sheath disrupts signal conduction and may and positive image of the disease but the video is not ultimately damage the nerve fibers. being aired regularly on TV.

The inflammation can occur either in parts of the brain If symptoms are properly managed, people with MS or spinal cord and the symptoms vary depending on can lead a normal and productive life, start a family the location of the affected nerve fibers. Therefore, and get around without assistance. patients with MS may experience different symptoms such as a disturbance of vision, dizziness, tingling What is the peak age of diagnosis? or weakness in the limbs, tremors, problems with Generally, patients are most likely to manifest bladder control, etc. However, these symptoms can symptoms in their twenties and thirties but MS can also occur with other diseases and therefore cannot occur in people as young as six years of age or as old be decisive in the diagnosis. This is why it is highly as sixty. important to obtain a detailed and accurate medical history and look at the age groups and the typical What are the possible causes of MS? clinical presentations. MRIs are helpful but the MS is caused by a combination of genetic and diagnosis remains a clinical one. environmental factors. Genetic factors account for 30% of the risk and no single gene is causative but What about treatment? rather a combination of genes. If one identical twin MS sufferers have now access to numerous has MS, the other has only a 30% chance of developing treatment options and medications. Treatment is the condition. If MS was completely genetic, then the an individualized long-term process and patients other twin would have a 100% chance of having it, should be monitored carefully. Regular visits are because the pair have the same genetic makeup. recommended and if we find that the prescribed medications have failed to control symptoms and stop On the other hand, environmental factors account for the disease’s activity, we may need to change the doses 70% of the risk. Research into environmental factors or even change the course of treatment. Luckily, the has uncovered a role for vitamin D deficiency and Ministry of Public Health realizes that many patients exposure to a virus called EBV and smoking as risk cannot afford their prescriptions and helps them out factors for MS. by covering the cost of their medications. We also extend assistance to economically disadvantaged How hard was it for you to balance between work patients through the proceeds generated from and family? fundraising activities by the “Friends of MS”, a lay Now that the kids have grown up, it is not as tough as group of individuals who support our center. before. Some things do not come easy but eventually you do what you have to do and a supportive spouse is a key.

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Culture, religion & Art | 31

JAD Jeunesse Anti-Drogue

Overview Jeunesse Anti-Drogue, otherwise known as Youth Yong Against Drugs Against Drugs, was established in 1981 upon the joint initiative of the organization’s current President Joseph Hawat and Father Benoit Succar. Having lost much of the documentation it had for NGOs during the war, the are starting to use heroin as young as at 15. Another Ministry of the Interior and Municipalities requested striking observation is the expanding spectrum of JAD to re-submit its registration file in 1992. JAD was female addiction and trafficking. This is unusual in our thus licensed under number 64/AD as a non-profit non- Middle-Eastern societies and is a sign of a stark decline governmental organization. in conservative values and attitudes.”

JAD’s main focus revolves around four topics: drugs, Family disintegration is the leading cause of lapse alcohol, smoking and AIDS. Child internet addiction into addiction in 80% of the reported cases. What and the risk of unexploded mines and ordinances have complicates the problem even more is the fact that been recently added to the organization’s concerns. addicts are now abusing several substances at once. Frequently, when the person is addicted to only one Addiction trends substance, the percentage of recovery, after a year and President Hawat has been tracking the progress of a half of treatment and follow-up, is as low as 8%. With addiction in Lebanon for a long time and says that the an addiction to a multitude of psychoactive substances, problem was never as serious as it is today. “When the likelihood of recovery drops to even lower levels. I first began my work with JAD 33 years ago, only seven or eight addicts would turn to our facilities Referral to JAD every year. Since then, the number has been growing Addicts are usually referred to JAD by the courts. steadily, reaching as high as nearly 450 addicts last Some of them turn up at the centers accompanied by year. Numbers are growing at alarming rates while their parents but very few come of their own accord. the age of onset of addiction is decreasing. People Addicts undergo 32 tests when they first arrive.

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They are then admitted to Dahr El-Bashek hospital for detoxification, after which they return to JAD’s facilities to attend the rehabilitation program. JAD has launched an inpatient center in Jordan to treat Lebanese youth in collaboration with the Jordanian General Security. The Jordanian government bore the expense of treating 700 to 750 Lebanese youths. Delegates from JAD had to travel twice a week to check on the addicts, but the organization could not afford these periodic travel expenses and thus the facility had to be closed down. Another inpatient Cultural center facility was set up in Zahle but the cost of services After nearly 30 years of preparations, JAD finally was an inhibiting factor and the center was also launched on May 10 its specialized center for training doomed to closure. and awareness of the risks of psychotropic substances. The center is divided into sections including an JAD’s President, Joseph Hawat, reports that the exposition hall featuring films and cartoons that target organization is now channeling much of its focus and children (6 to 10 year olds) and a massive library resources towards awareness and training rather than containing all the publications issued from 1983 to rehabilitation because spreading prevention among 2013 on alcohol, tobacco, AIDS, drugs and internet youths is far more effective than treatment. addiction. Section B accommodates a gallery and a museum where roughly 200 paintings and 3000 pieces Structure and activities are displayed to express awareness of the scourges JAD operates across Lebanon. It has roughly 33 of drugs in addition to thirty photos of celebrities offices and centers. The organization is not involved in before and after drug abuse. Another hall is designed politics and welcomes people from different sectarian to accommodate parents, police and social workers. backgrounds. Its staff works on a strictly volunteer This section is dedicated for special training materials basis. In addition to its rehabilitation services, the and a drug testing laboratory. A division is dedicated organization cooperates with the public and private for follow-up and for the reintegration of addicts into associations, committees, universities, institutions community service and another sells gadgets and pieces and schools in offering consultation services and aimed to support the association’s activities. expertise. It conducts lectures and seminars, organizes training and awareness sessions and distributes “Despite the efforts we and other NGOs are making, thousands of pamphlets to educate about the dangers our work is doomed to failure if the stakeholders do of addiction and enlighten people against the evil of not step in and play their part in fighting addiction. The drugs, AIDS, alcoholism and nicotine. battle of addiction is not our battle alone. Ministries, parents, religious authorities and media platforms The organization was licensed by the Ministry of should all be active players in addressing this uphill Youth and Sports to launch nine sports teams raising struggle. If we fail to make a concerted effort and to the banner “Sports Against Drugs”. Hawat explains find rapid and efficient solutions to the ever-expanding that sport is beginning to win the war against drugs, addiction trends, our generations are sure to face an noting that ‘moving addicts from the realm of death unfortunate and horrifying reality over the next ten to the realm of sport’ was one of the accomplishments years,” is how President Hawat summarizes the scene he was most proud of. of addiction in Lebanon.

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. popular culture Culture, religion & Art | 33

At the University of Chicago

‘Where shall I sleep now that the night is here?’ ‘Eldorado Hotel is a few meters away,’ the man replied. I thanked him, carried my heavy luggage and went off. In the morning, I asked the lady at the information desk where the university was. ‘You are currently on the premises. If you walk 100 meters, the university’s buildings will rise up before you,’ she explained. I left my luggage at the hotel and walked towards the university. It was not difficult for me to find the building and the revered teacher. My revered teacher was an American of Germanic roots sporting an Italian temper in terms of enthusiasm, impulse and heated emotions. His name was Sprenling. He welcomed me warmly and said ‘I was waiting for you. Dodge wrote to me about you. You are most welcome. Where are you staying at the moment?’ ‘Eldorado Hotel’, I replied. ‘Oh good heavens!’ he exclaimed. ‘It is not a hotel for students. I have reserved a room for you at the student dormitory. Go immediately and fetch your luggage,’ he added. After I have settled down, the teacher said ‘the summer semester has started and you must register even if you have missed some of it. I want you, above all, to enroll in the phonetics class. This is a main course. I also want you to enroll in the linguistics class of my friend Sapir.’ Sapir was a well-known linguist. ‘The third course you need to attend is archeology. That will do for the summer, then we will decide later what to introduce you to in the fall. I will certainly not ask you to study the Hebrew language with beginners still deciphering its alphabet.’ What about food, sir? You eat at the Cafeteria. Cafeteria? One of my students will walk you there and show you how to go about it. These are new popular restaurants. Cheap also. I learned fast, then got down to my studies. In the fall, the teacher suggested that I take a course in Assyro-Babylonian language with a German scholar who had fled Germany and joined the university and another in theological studies with the then master of theologians, G.M.P Smith. He also suggested that I enroll in an advanced course of Hebrew language. ‘That is enough for now, for I am going to ask you to help me publish the introduction of Ibn Khaldoun. There are several things that I fail to understand.’ He wanted to publish the introduction but eventually backtracked on it. He was most known for being all talk and no action. Yet, he was smart and impulsive.

issue 148 | November 2014 34 | Culture, religion & Art debunking myth #87

Margaret Thatcher: a Feminist Icon?

Myth As the United Kingdom’s first and only female Prime Minister, the late Margaret Thatcher has been viewed by some as a feminist icon.

Fact Though her achievements did much to challenge gender roles in power, she most definitely did not show any sympathy towards the cause of women’s liberation.

The former UK Prime Minister broke the mold of patriarchal politics and was a tough female leader who confronted her opponents and advanced the values she upheld. Though this in itself challenges the stereotypes of gender and politics, Thatcher herself was no feminist. Both her policy outcomes and her words show that she was never inspired by feminism; in fact, she opposed it. On one occasion, Thatcher was reported to have said to journalist Paul Johnson: “The feminists hate me, don’t they? And I don’t blame them. For I hate feminism. It is poison”.

Despite being the first female Prime Minister of a western democracy, Thatcher’s administration was not concerned with promoting gender equality. She never promoted any women to her Cabinet, and throughout her term, only one woman served in the Cabinet. During her term nothing was done to make child care more accessible to women or to increase child benefits, reinforcing as such the challenges of working mothers. The Prime Minister felt she owed nothing to the feminist movement, and was reported to have deemed the battle for women’s rights as ‘largely won’. Concluding that the battle was over and done in the 1980s shows just how distant Thatcher was from the obstacles that women continued to face as a function of their gender.

Her conservative policies aside, Thatcher has earned rightful praise for her hard- headedness. The Iron Lady’s reputation as a rigid leader kept her immune from all the stereotypes that continue to affect women in politics until this day. She was never criticized by her counterparts because of her gender. The practice of degrading women in politics as being too ‘weak’ or ‘emotional’ was never directed at her by her opponents. But the fact that such attitudes are still very much intact today serves to show that she in fact did nothing to advance the cause of women in politics. This was never a priority of her administration anyway.

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. must-read books Culture, religion & Art | 35 the Unknown Works of Dr. Khalil Saadeh Badr el-Hage

The Unknown Works of Dr. Khalil Saadeh is a book by Badr El-Hage that allows readers to explore previously unexplored works by Dr. Khalil Saadeh, the father of Antoun Saadeh- founder of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party. The book published in its first edition in 1987 by Riad El-Rayyes unveils the reality of Khalil Saadeh as a physician, an intellectual, a politician and a social reformer. Khalil Saadeh was born in the Lebanese town of Choueir in 1857. After he obtained his primary education in the town, he moved to the Syrian Evangelical College, later known as the American University of Beirut, where he earned his MD in 1883. Saadeh’s beginnings were marked by the release of Al- Tabib, a medical and scientific magazine that was published for several years in Lebanon before he relocated to Egypt and started publishing a series of books and novels there. From Egypt, which he left after severed ties with the Khedives, In the chapter entitled The Rise of the Orient, the author sings he migrated to South America where he ended up spending the praises of the wondrous Arab nation and its even more the rest of his life. Soon after setting foot in Argentina, he wondrous language. He exalts the scientific Arab renaissance issued a periodical called Al-Majalla. His stay was marked by under the Abbasid era, which made the Arabs even more several social initiatives. He launched the Syrian Press Trade civilized and whose lofty remnants remain alive to date. Union designed to address cultural and social concerns, and The glories of the ancient Syrians and Phoenicians- traders, then announced the creation of the National Democratic Party. industrialists and explorers- are also extolled. Yet, the author Saadeh moved to Brazil in 1919 and maintained a connection calls to the reader’s attention that the Andalusian renaissance between his homeland and the Lebanese, Palestinian and was the last among the renaissances of the Orient before the Syrian diasporas through a weekly periodical, Al-Jaridah. In nation drifted into torpor and sluggishness. The strangest aspect later years, Saadeh was appointed honorary chairman of the of this idleness, according to the author, is that the Orientalists Syrian National League and editor-in-charge of its weekly do not even view it as strange. The brains of their men and periodical Al-Rabitah. women are too indolent that they can hardly look beyond the Saadeh drew attention to the reasons that kept the Arab nations banalities of day-to-day life. They are oblivious of the riches stuck behind the times, warning that should these reasons of their rivers and of their treasure troves and unexploited soil. persist, they would wreak unsparing havoc on the entire Arab They fail to fathom the diseases and ailments befalling the world. Foremost among these reasons are the religious divides, people or the futile teaching methods which graduate students which apply to all communities and which will herald abrupt akin to parrots. The lack of roads and railroads and factories devastation. These divides are, according to Saadeh, the most are of little concern to them. Superstition has gripped their fatal ailment of all, followed by egoism whereby one is fully feeble minds leading them to mistake lightning for evil spirits absorbed in what promotes him to the highest ranks, turning a and thunders for Genie voices. Saadeh described this state as blind eye to the interest of his country and people. The third the ‘regression of the Orient’; this, in addition to its most fatal most common reason is the lack of justice, which results in the ailment, religious tolerance. violation of rights and the loss of claims, all the way down to Dr. Saadeh’s call for secularism, independence and revolutionary idleness, which ravages the entire nation. zeal was also accompanied with a call for socialism through Despotism, the brutal condition which dates back to the era the philosophy of hunger, which was the primary force that of Jahiliyyah, had led nations by the nose for so long, turning propelled the rise of the French nation. Had the French not felt them into flocks of sheep led by a ruler or a king who deified the pinch of hunger, they wouldn’t have revolted against Louis himself and converted his subjects into slaves, until one day, the XV in demand of bread. Saadeh cautioned tyrants and despotic world dusted its humiliation off with the eruption of the French rulers to beware the weariness of their people. Revolution. “As for the Orient, only its mountains, plains and The book concludes with an open message to the Syrians, valleys have changed while its nations and peoples remained Lebanese and Palestinians in which Saadeh congratulates them largely rigid and have not recorded any political development for breaking free from the yoke of the Ottomans who oppressed worthy of mentioning.” Despotism confined Orientalists in them and controlled their fate for four centuries, hoping that iron chains as they waited for their governments to surrender they will put their sectarian differences aside join together to power and gift it to them; they did not revolt. Khalil Saadeh serve the nation and push it to the forefront of civilized nations. called on the peoples of the Orient to stage a massive revolution to establish that the people are the true source of power and Saadeh passed away on April 10, 1934 leaving behind a legacy sovereignty, not the rulers. that time has never been able to erase.

issue 148 | November 2014 36 | Culture, religion & Art must-read children’s book

The Sunrays Stories The Birth of the Foal

The Birth of the Foal is the first of seventeen short stories assembled under a single series by Eetimad Mohamamd Ali Khan under the title The Sunrays Stories. The series, published in 2003, by Dar Al-Moualef hopes to assist children in acquiring sublime values while at the same time strengthening their literacy skills and expanding their imagination. Translated by Dr. Adel Khairallah, The Birth of the Foal is filled with vivid illustrations designed by Bilal Fathallah to bring this work of fiction to visual life.

Abdallah was happy that he was going to spend his mid-year vacation at his grandfather’s farm. The grandfather took advantage of Abdallah’s presence by his side to teach him how to overcome the difficulties of life and to help him find a purpose for his long path in life.

One night, as Abdallah and his grandfather were preparing to call it a day, they heard squirming movements and kicks coming out of the stable. The mare was in labor. After endless hours of mad kicking and whining, a small white foal finally emerged. Abdallah and his grandpa spent the entire night by the horse’s side and the child learned that only a short time lag separates life and death and that the will to live shall always prevail despite the struggle and pain.

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Lebanon Families Culture, religion & Art | 37

The Kebreets: Sunni in Beirut and Saida

The Zarneekhs: Only one family

Sulfur (‘Kebreet’ in Arabic) is a bright yellow Tripoli chemical element with the symbol (S). There Zgharta Balamand Roads is sulfur in gunpowder and matches and the A‘arjes Ehden element is also used in agriculture and in the Becharre The Cedars making of sulfuric acid, an important chemical Batroun Hadet Hasroun Ras Baalbeck Deir el Ahmar in the production of paints and textiles. Raw Maqne sulfur can be found in nature and can be Jbail Qasr el-Banat Hadath Iaat removed from oil at the stage of extraction. It Ghazir Baalbeck is the third most abundant metal in the human Jounieh body. Niha

BEIRUT Zahle Some Lebanese families have assumed the Baabda Shtaura Aley Dahr el-Baidar Bhamdoun name ‘Kebreet’ because their forefathers Anjar used to work in the sector. There are only 450 Deir el-Qamar Meshref Beiteddine Kebreet members in Lebanon, all of them Moukhtara Yanta whom are Sunni. The Kebreets are present in Qaraoun Lake Saida Jezzine Beirut and Saida and are distributed as follows: Libbaya Aiha Hay El-Mazraa, Beirut: 156

Hay El-Bashoura, Beirut: 204 Nabatiye Hasbaya Hay El-Sabil, Saida: 25 Marjayoun Hay El-Share’e, Saida: 40 Beaufort Castle Hay Rijal El-Arbaeen, Saida: 25 Sour

Zarneekh, Arabic for ‘arsenic’, is a colorless and tasteless toxin. Only one family present in Al-Mina in Tripoli carries this name. It consists of six Sunni members.

issue 148 | November 2014 38 | Culture, religion & Art Discover Lebanon

Nammoura in

Kessrouan Tripoli

Zgharta Balamand Roads A‘arjes Nammoura is a luscious Lebanese dessert most Ehden Becharre The Cedars popular in Saida and Tripoli. It is also the name of Batroun Hadet Hasroun Ras Baalbeck Deir el Ahmar Maqne a small Lebanese town in the Qada’a of Kessrouan, Jbail Qasr el-Banat Nammoura Hadath Iaat ﳕﻮﺭﺓ .which is also known by another name, Kfar Jref Ghazir Baalbeck Jounieh

Niha

BEIRUT Zahle Etymology Baabda Shtaura Aley Dahr el-Baidar Bhamdoun Kfar Jref is a compound word made up of two Anjar Deir el-Qamar Meshref Beiteddine elements: ‘Kfar’ meaning ‘a small town’ and ‘Jref’ Moukhtara Yanta meaning ‘washed away in a flood’. The name thus Qaraoun Lake Saida Jezzine signifies a town that has been washed away by the Libbaya Aiha

flood. The town must have been given this name on Nabatiye Hasbaya Marjayoun

account of its sloping curve in some areas but it is not Beaufort Castle known why it was called Nammoura. Sour

Location The town is located in the Qada’a of Kessrouan, at Atallah: 55 an altitude of 300 meters above the sea level. It is Salloum: 17 35 kilometers from Beirut and it stretches across 232 Bou Ezz: 15 hectares. Nammoura may be reached through the Karam: 5 following route: from Jal el-Dib to Dennieh, then via Mezher: 5 Ouqaybeh, Fatqa and Ghedras to Nammoura. The Chamoun: 8 town is bordered by Zaitoun to the north, Ghedras Fazanjian: 6 and al-Houssain to the east, Ghedras and Fatqa to the south and Ouqaybeh to the west. Local Authorities Nammoura does not have a municipal council and Population the local authority is vested in a Mukhtar and an The registered population in the personal status Ikhtiyariyah body. records of Nammoura is estimated at 820, of whom only 150 live in the town. Residents of Al-Watiya Economic Life belong to the Maronite community and are distributed There are no prospects for economic prosperity in the in approximately 75 houses. town as opportunities are merely limited to modest agricultural activities and running of small shops. Voters Some residents keep bees and sell honey to ensure Registered voters amounted to 220 in 1972. In 2000, their livelihood. the number of voters had increased to 488 and further to 534 and 586 in 2004 and 2009 respectively. Problems The lack of economic opportunities in Nammoura Voters are distributed among the following families: has led many of its residents to leave in search of a Dakkash: 260 better economic climate. The town is currently quasi- Khairallah: 177 deserted and has no schools or social services. Daher: 71

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Discover the world Culture, religion & Art | 39

ICELAND Ice, Fire, Fish and Energy

Geographically speaking, the Republic of Iceland is where Europe and North America meet. Situated in the northern Atlantic Ocean, it is a land of paradoxes, where fire and ice coexist. This small volcanically and geologically active country consists of sand and lava fields and is home to glaciers along with glacial rivers which flow into the sea. To foreign investors, Iceland is seen as an opportunity to gain access to cheap, green energy; to tourists, it is a country that offers natural wonders, a rich cultural history and northern lights.

Location and Area: Iceland is a Northern European country located in the exports of Iceland (such as fish, fishing products, aluminum Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom. It and ferrosilicon) have been experiencing global price is a large island nation with an area of 103,000 square fluctuations, Iceland has been diversifying its economy to meters. The capital is Reykjavik. the services and manufacturing industry, namely software production, biotechnologyand tourism. Population: Iceland is a sparsely populated nation with only 317,351 Geological research reveals the possibility of off- inhabitants. Most of its population is of Norse or Celtic shore oil-reserves in Iceland. As such, the Icelandic (Irish and Scottish) decent. The Norsemen and Celtics government gave joint approval to Icelandic, Chinese allegedly migrated to Iceland around 874 AD. and Norwegian energy firms to conduct oil exploration off the northeastern coast. Iceland’s copious geothermal Religion: and hydropower sources have made it an attractive 76.2% of Icelanders follow the Evangelical Lutheran contender for foreign investment in the aluminum Church of Iceland as it is the official national religious sector. Furthermore, Iceland’s energy sources have body. 3.4% identify themselves as Roman Catholic. piqued the interest of several high-tech firms aiming to 2.9% follow the Reykjavik Free Evangelical Church establish data centers using cheap green energy. and 1% follows The Independent Congregation. 1% identifies themselves belonging to other religions and Political System: 11.1% identify as having no religious preference. The Republic of Iceland is a constitutional republic that declared its independence from Denmark in June 1944. The Languages: president of Iceland serves for a four-year term and can serve The official language is Icelandic, although English, for an unlimited number of terms. Iceland was home to Vigdis other Nordic languages and German are widely spoken. Finnbogadottir, the world’s first female president, who served four 4-year terms. The current president, in power since Economy: 1996, is Olafur Ragnar Grimsson. The prime minister is the Prior to 2008, the economy of Iceland experienced high head of government and, along with the cabinet, is in charge growth and low unemployment. However once the economic of the executive branch of the government. The current prime depression hit, Iceland experienced a national financial crisis minister is Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson. The president is from 2008 until 2011; three of its largest private commercial supposedly responsible for selecting the Cabinet; however, banks collapsed. However, Iceland managed to avert national in practice, this process is conducted by the leaders of the bankruptcy following the nationalization of the banks and constituting political parties who decide which parties make receiving loans from other European nations and entities. up the Cabinet and the number of seats provided to each. If the leaders cannot come to an agreement (a phenomenon The GDP per capita is $40,700. Services account for 71.2% which has not taken place since 1944) then the president of the GDP, industry accounts for 22.9%, and agriculture exercises his right to select members of the Cabinet. accounts for 5.9% of the GDP. The fishing industry alone is an important player in fueling the Icelandic economy; it Retrieved from: http://www.government.is/how-iceland-is-governed/ provides 40% of export earnings, over 12% of the GDP, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ic.html and employs around 5% of the workforce. Since the main http://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/iceland/government

issue 148 | November 2014 40| Media September 2014 Highlights There were no major political or security developments that might have contributed to altering the prevailing political and security scene in Lebanon this September. Monotony and impasse were the most domineering features of the month, except for the slaughter of the soldiers and security personnel detained by ISIS and the protests staged by their families in condemnation. Below is a daily digest of the news and events in September:

September 1 During a ceremony held at the Families of the military captives Speaker Nabih Berri submits his Grand Serail to commemorate the 94th continue their protests and block roads candidacy for parliamentary elections anniversary of the announcement of in Beqa’a and North Lebanon. through one of his advisors and then Greater Lebanon, PM Tamam Salam The Lebanese Customs seizes in leaves Lebanon on a special visit. MP urges parties to elect a new Maronite the Witwat area of Beirut 200,000 Ali Bazzi also registers as candidate. president of the republic and to join Captagon pills that were meant for Patriarch al-Rai attends a ceremony forces because the battle against distribution in the local market. commemorating the 11th anniversary terrorism is still at its beginning. of the inauguration of the Bishop’s Park The Lebanese Army receives the September 3 in Qannoubin in the presence of former body of Sergeant Ali Sayyed who Sergeant Ali al-Sayyed laid to rest President of the Republic Michel was abducted earlier in Ersal and in a solemn funeral ceremony in his Suleiman and regrets depriving the transfers it to the military hospital for hometown, Fnaideq. The martyr’s Lebanese of a Head of State. identification. father apologizes for the verbal assaults ISIS militants execute a resident MP Walid Jumblat calls for launched by family members against the of Ersal, Kayed Ghadad, one week expediting trials of Islamist detainees, Army Commander and the politicians after abducting him, on charges of stressing that trading hostages for and considers that his son has sacrificed collaboration with Hezbollah. Islamist detainees is unacceptable as it his life for the sake of Lebanon. would set a dangerous precedent. An explosives expert at Special September 5 A Free Patriotic Movement Tribunal for Lebanon assures that the A ministerial crisis-cell convenes delegation visits the Muslim Scholars explosives used in the Rafic Hariri at the Grand Serail to follow up on the Committee member, Sheikh Salem al- assassination weighed 500 kilograms captives’ crisis. Minister of National Rafei in Tripoli. and lacked incendiary materials. Defense, Samir Moqbel, states that the Mild earthquake is felt in Lebanon, PM Tamam Salam participates issue is now being handled through Qatar, particularly in the north and Beqa’a. in part of the periodic meeting of reiterating objection to trading captives ISIS reveals that Hisham al-Hajj the Maronite Bishops’ Council. for Islamist inmates in Roumieh. from Tripoli was the man behind the The council’s statement regrets that Israel denotes the spy device it had suicide attack it launched in Iraq. Parliament has failed for the 11th time planted in the southern town of Adloun Another Lebanese man from Tripoli, to elect a president and deplores the after Hezbollah discovered it and tried Zakariya Ahmad, also dies while irresponsible acts targeting religious to dismantle it. The blast kills a member fighting alongside militant groups in symbols. of Hezbollah. Syria. MP Walid Jumblat meets Egyptian The Lebanese Army arrests the President Abdul Fattah Seesi during his Syrian brother of ISIS leader, Abou September 2 visit to Egypt. Talal, in Beqa’a. Parliament postpones its 11th session Speaker Nabih Berri renews during A Qatari delegation is said to have scheduled to elect a new president until Wednesday’s parliamentary gathering entered Ersal and met ISIS and An- September 23 due to lack of quorum. his objection to prolonging the term of Nussra Front leaders to discuss the Speaking in the name of March Parliament. captive’s issue. Minister of the Interior 14 Forces, former PM Fouad Seniora and Municipalities dismisses the news reiterates that the coalition’s candidate September 4 as rumors. is Samir Geagea, yet reports willingness The Cabinet convenes at the Grand An-Nussra Front releases a new to agree on any other candidate who Serail to discuss the issue of the captives video footage featuring the captives, abides by national parameters. of Ersal and refuses to compromise holding Hezbollah accountable for PM Tamam Salam notes during their safety, urging the Army to take what is happening and urging the Sunni a Cabinet session held at the Grand all measures necessary to release them. not to support the Lebanese Army. Serail to discuss financial topics and The families of the captives stage a The Lebanese Army denies all accounting files that the financial protest near the Grand Serail giving the media statements reporting the presence situation is as severe as the political government 24 hours to free their sons of ISIS militants in the outskirts of situation. and avoid sedition in Beqa’a. Sannine and Baskinta.

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. September 2014 Highlights Media |41

September 6 September 8 efforts are underway to release their During the annual mass held in Roadblocks set up in Seednayel sons with the help of Qatari mediation. Meerab under the title ‘The Martyrs of after seven people from Baalbeck An-Nussra Front allows the mother the Strong Republic’ to commemorate were abducted in a tit-for-tat operation and the sister of kidnapped soldier the martyrs of the Lebanese Forces, countering the kidnap-for-ransom Georges Khoury to visit him at dawn in Samir Geagea brands ISIS as a of Ayman Sawan in al-Taybeh. The the Syrian side of Arsal following the cancerous tumor, insinuating that the abducted were later released. Members mediation of Sheikh Mustafa Hujairi. group is associated with the Syrian said to be from Al-Masri family in Director General of General regime. Geagea announces his objection Hawrtaqla also kidnap four residents Security, Abbas Ibrahim, is assigned to self-security measures and urges the from Baalbeck, who originally came to relay the demands of the kidnappers election of a president of the republic, from Ersal. of Lebanese soldiers and security saying that beheading the Head of State Minister of Energy and Water Arthur personnel to Qatari authorities in Doha. is a terrible political crime. Nazarian holds a press conference at ISIS announces that it has the Zouk power plant in the presence September 10 slaughtered the soldier Abbas Medlej of EDL’s staff and director and holds The families of the captives pitch up after his attempt to escape and to open the Ministries of Justice and Interior tents and protest in downtownBeirut, fire at ISIS members. responsible for not enforcing the law and demanding the release of their sons. Protesters block roads in for failing to end the contract workers’ Minister of Social Affairs Rashid condemnation of Medlej’s slaughter “occupation” at the EDL headquarters Derbas announces following the and Syrian refugees flee from certain in Beirut’s Mar Mikhael neighborhood. meeting of the ministerial committee Lebanese areas for fear of a backlash Nazarian warns that the failure to resolve tasked with following up on the Syrian against them. this occupation will plunge Lebanon into refugee file that ‘the migration of complete blackouts. Syrians is no longer necessary and that September 7 Tamam Salam receives a delegation the ministry will be stricter from now PM Tamam Salam appears in of Beirut’s MPs at the Grand Serail on in granting ‘refugee’ status and will a televised speech, emphasizing and MP Mohammad Qabbani says ‘we discuss the possibility of setting up commitment to release the detained won’t allow Beirut to be taken hostage.’ refugee camps.” soldiers and security personnel. Salam Minister of Foreign Affairs and notes that the government is in not in a September 9 Emigrants Gebran Bassil meets his weak position, branding the abductors After a series of crackdowns in Danish counterpart Martin Lidegaard as faithless savages and extending his Beqa’a, the Lebanese Army manages and the two agree on mobilizing efforts gratitude to Qatari Emir, Sheikh Tamim. to release the abducted citizen Ayman to confront extremism. PM Tamam Salam chairs a meeting Sawwan from Seednayel. Former Minister of Information for the ministerial crisis-cell at his Hezbollah issues a statement on Walid Daouk honors former President residence to deliberate on the captives’ the meeting that brought Hezbollah’s of the Republic Michel Suleiman issue after the slaughter of Abbas Secretary General Sayyed Hassan who reiterates his objection to trading Medlej and follow up on the outcome Nasrallah together with General Michel captives for Roumieh’s inmates and to of the Qatari mediation. Aoun in the presence of Minister of self-security. MP Walid Jumblat continues his Foreign Affairs Gebran Bassil and Former President of the Republic tour and makes a stop in the towns of Nasrallah’s political aide Huseein al- Amine Gemayel reveals during an Western Shahhar. Jumblat meets the Khalil. The statement emphasizes the interview on TV that Fouad Seniora Druze spiritual leader, Sheikh al-Akl aptness of the choices made by both informed him that the March 14 Forces Naeem Qassem, and Sheikh Naseredine parties and the need to confront Israel was ready to endorse him as presidential Gharib who was appointed by Arslan and the takfiri doctrines. candidate, if all the components within and lauds the struggles of the Islamic Former PM Saad Hariri calls for the coalition agreed to the proposition. resistance, reiterating that negotiations disassociation from all practices that Patriarch al-Rai attends a conference should be made through the state. may lead to strife adding that both on protecting the Christian presence in Minister of Foreign Affairs and Sunni and Shia’a should prevent strife the Levant, in Washington and urges the Emigrants Gebran Bassil attends the from happening. US administration to take bigger steps meetings of Arab foreign ministers in Former President of the Republic to defend the Christians. Cairo and meets Sheikh of Al-Azhar. issues a statement urging the call-up 33 women file their candidacies Minister of the Interior and of reserve units and the armament of all at once for parliamentary elections Municipalities Nouhad Mashnouq the Lebanese Army, in the presence and announce their objection to the cancels his scheduled trip to Qatar of ministers Samir Moqbel, Abdul extension of the legislature’s term. to participate in the works of the Mottaleb Al-Hennawi and Alice committee tasked with laying down the Shabtini. September 11 criteria for the Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz PM Tamam Salam receives a The Lebanese Army finds a car laden Award due to the precarious security delegation of the families of the with 75 kilograms of explosives parked situation in Lebanon. abducted soldiers and security in Ain el-Shaa area at the entrance to personnel and reassures them that Ersal.

issue 148 | November 2014 42| Media September 2014 Highlights

The Cabinet convenes at the Grand September 14 September 16 Serail and agrees to set up trial refugee A ministerial delegation chaired The deadline for candidates to put camps along the border area between by PM Tamam Salam and including themselves forward for the elections Lebanon and Syria in Al-Masnaa and General Security Chief Major General scheduled for November 16, 2014 Abboudieh. It also decides to appoint the Abbas Ibrahim meets Qatari Emir, expires, with the total number of Election Supervision Committee to be Sheikh Tamim, in Doha, and talks candidates standing at 514, including chaired by Judge Nadim Abdul Malak. focus on the Qatari efforts to release 35 women. The Minister of the Interior MP Khaled Daher lashes out at the the soldiers and security personnel held and Municipalities points out during the Army Intelligence and calls on the Saudi hostage. Central Security Council meeting that King not to deliver the USD 4-billion MP Walid Jumblat visits the family technical difficulties mar the likelihood donation to the Lebanese Army arguing of abducted soldier Saif Zoubiane in of holding the elections. that the sum will be used against the his Shouf hometown, Mazra’a, and Sehikh Abdul Latif Deryan is Sunni, the Christians, Arabism and the reiterates the need to accelerate the declared the new Grand Mufti during country as a whole. Ministers Nouhad trials of Roumieh’s Islamist inmates. an inauguration ceremony held at Mashnuq and Ashraf Rifi emphasize Jumblat adds that he rejects laying the the Mohammad al-Amine mosque in that the opinions expressed are those blame unjustly on PM Tamam Salam. the presence of PM Tamam Salam, a of Daher and do not represent the An-Nussra Front releases a video number of religious- both Muslim and viewpoints of the Future Movement. footage showing two of the abducted Christian- authorities and prominent Civil society rallies again to protest soldiers addressing their families. Islamic figures from the Arab world. against the extension of Parliament’s Mass held in Bekfaya to General Michel Aoun announces the term of office. commemorate the 32nd anniversary of Change and Reform Bloc’s rejection Patriarch al-Rai says following the assassination of Bashir Gemayel. of extending Parliament’s term and President Obama’s meeting with the A Middle East Airlines aircraft was reiterates the need to hold elections on Levant bishops ‘Obama has promised forced to land in Italy because of a time. us to ensure the protection of Lebanon.’ bomb scare after Swiss airport security informed the aircraft of an unclaimed September 17 September 12 piece of baggage aboard the plane. MP Walid Jumblat receives The Lebanese Army discovers a 200- General Michel Aoun at his residence gram explosive device in the Martyrs September 15 in Clemenceau. Aoun renews his Square in Saida. Lebanese regions plunge into objection to prolonging the legislature’s US Ambassador to Lebanon, David pitch darkness for three hours due to term of office and Jumblat notes that Hale, announces from the Grand Serail a technical breakdown in the Zahrani he agrees with the rationale that Aoun that his country will provide Lebanon power plant. Contract workers persist in holds behind his presidential candidacy. with armed Cessna aircrafts to be bought their protest and call out their families Aoun hands Jumblat his new book My with Saudi funds recently pledged to the upon hearing that the Minister of the Vision for Lebanon. Lebanese Army. Interior had requested the Internal UNDP administrator cautions that it The number of candidates standing Security Forces to take over EDL’s would be dangerous to set up refugee for election to Parliament reaches 112. building in Corniche Al-Nahr. However, camps at the borders between Lebanon Family of martyr Ali Sayyed from the move was deferred in the hope of and Syria following the meeting of Fnaideq, Akkar visits the relatives reaching an amicable understanding. the ministerial committee for Syrian of martyr Abbas Medlej in Anssar, Minister of Foreign Affairs and refugee affairs chaired by PM Tamam Baalbeck. Ali Sayyed and Abbas Medlej Emigrants Gebran Bassil participates Salam at the Grand Serail. were two security forces personnel who in the Paris conference on peace and The Future Parliamentary Bloc holds were beheaded by ISIS. security in Iraq and meets his American firmly that presidential elections should “I will pursue the Baabda declaration and Russian counterparts, John Kerry be held before the general elections. until the end of time,” says former and Sergey Lavrov. Speaker Nabih Berri assures during President of the Republic Michel Grand Mufti Mohammad Rashid Wednesday’s parliamentary gathering Suleiman to As-Safir, adding that no one Qabbani chairs the last meeting of that there are no under-the-table deals can sway Christian leaderships in politics. the Higher Islamic Council before the to prolong the term of Parliament. expiry of his term and announces the Former PM Saad Hariri reiterates September 13 dissolution of the Council in order to that there will be no general election Special UN envoy to Syria Staffan facilitate the tasks of the new Grand unless a President of the Republic is de Mistura visits Lebanon and meets Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Deryan. elected first. PM Tamam Salam. Sunni and Shia’a dignitaries of A delegation of Ersal’s residents Baalbeck-Hermel meet at Imam September 18 visits Head of Hezbollah’s Religious Khomeini Center in Baalbeck and agree The Cabinet holds a session at the Committee, Sheikh Mohammad to expose all perpetrators. They also adopt Grand Serail during which it signs Yazbek, to thank him for his efforts in a pact of honor that prohibits kidnapping previous decrees and agrees on a future releasing two of the town’s inhabitants. and calls for preventing sedition. session to discuss the situation of Syrian refugees. A debate over Lebanon’s

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. September 2014 Highlights Media |43 participation in the anti-terrorism The security meeting held at the The committee announces next Friday conferences in Saudi Arabi and France Grand Serail concerning the detained to be of support for Ersal in all mosques marks the session. soldiers and security personnel stresses under the title, “No for slaying Ersal.” Accompanied by his son Taymour and its objection to any form of blackmail. MP Neemeh Tohmeh, MP Walid Jumblat Father of the slain soldier Ali September 23 visits former President of the Republic Kharrat dies of grief at the loss of his Parliament postpones its 13th session Amine Gemayel at his residence in son. The two were laid to rest together scheduled to elect a new president until Bekfaya and the two announce a joint in a joint funeral. October 9 due to lack of quorum. initiative to strengthen the institutions. An explosive device targets a Hezbollah’s Secretary General Shia’a cleric, Hani Fahs who is Hezbollah checkpoint in Khraibeh near Hassan Nasrallah discusses the status known for his close ties with March 14 Baalbeck but causes no fatalities. quo in Lebanon and the region in a Forces dies at the age of 68 after a battle televised speech. Nasrallah states that with an illness. September 21 Hezbollah’s support of the principle Pro-March 8 Forces Sunni figures MP Walid Jumblat continues his tour of negotiation stems from a strong, gather at the residence of former of the towns of Western Beqa’a and not a weak position, for this can lead Minister Abdul Rahim Mrad and Rashaya and calls on the Druze to build to the release of captives, stressing his announce their national pact. mosques and re-embrace their Muslim objection to making Lebanon part of Minister of the Interior and roots. Jumblat adds that if negotiations the global coalition. Municipalities, Nouhad Mashnouq, and trading captives for Roumieh’s A soldier from Tekreet, Akkar, dies heads for Moscow. inmates are the solution, then he is all during an attack on a Lebanese Army Lebanese Forces leader, Samir for it. checkpoint in Beddawi. Geagea, challenges the proposition of The Lebanese government hands Patriarch al-Rai visits Grand Mufti electing Michel Aoun as president of its report on the Lebanese who went Abdul Latif Deryan to congratulate him the republic for two years. missing during the Civil War to the on his recent election and points out families of the missing persons. that no one has the right to dominate September 19 Car crash on the Jiyeh highway Lebanon. A 10-kg explosive device targets a leaves five people dead and six injured. PM Tamam Salam meets the Lebanese Army truck in Ersal killing The family of the slain soldier President of Egypt, the King of Jordan two soldiers and injuring another three. Mohammad Hamieh accepts and the President of Iraq during his visit An-Nussra Front accuses the Army and condolences and his father promises to New York to participate in the UN Hezbollah of fabricating the attack. vengeance against the Mayor of Ersal General Assembly. An official of An-Nussra Front Ali Houjairy and Sheikh Mostafa Hezbollah’s Secretary General informs Anadolu Agency that soldier Houjairy, holding both of them Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah receives Mohammad Hamieh has been shot dead accountable for the death of his son. former Minister Talal Erslan. but the soldier’s family says that it has been given assurances that Mohammad September 22 September 24 is still alive. A delegation chaired by PM Tamam PM Tamam Salam continues his The family of slain soldier Abbas Salam heads for New York to participate meetings in New York on the sidelines Medlej blocks the Baalbeck road and in the UN General Assembly. Salam of the UN General Assembly session demands capital punishment for the addresses journalists saying he will do and meets French, Palestinian and Syrian suspect who has confessed his his best to bring attention to the issue of Turkish presidents. involvement in the killing. captives and obtain support for Lebanon The Lebanese General Security regarding the Syrian refugee crisis. arrests Syrian singer Assala Nassri September 20 Former President of the Republic at Beirut’s international airport on PM Tamam Salam visits Speaker Michel Suleiman visits former Speaker an arrest warrant allegedly issued by Nabih Berri and states that no Hussein Husseini at his residence in Interpol. Minister of Justice Ashraf negotiations will take place as long as Ain Tineh. Rifi interferes to denounce the charges soldiers are being killed. The finance and budget brought up against her saying “we will An Israeli reconnaissance drone parliamentary committee approves a not be tools in the hands of the Syrian crashes in Mazra’a Sardeh near the draft law stipulating the armament of regime” and claiming that the charges borderline and the Lebanese Army the Lebanese Army at LBP 2400 billion. were nothing but a judicial front for transports parts of the plane to a military Families of the captives block the what is essentially a political issue. headquarters in Marjayoun. Dahr El-Baidar road demanding the Minister of the Interior and MP Walid Jumblat tours Western release of their sons and also threatening Municipalities Nouhad Mashnouq Beqa’a and encourages rotation in to block all roads. assures that a prisoner swap with power, reiterating his call on citizens The Muslim Scholars’ Committee militants is possible, after taking every not to assault Syrian refugees. reports during a press conference that law into consideration. The Lebanese Army conducts air there are certain parties within the Speaker Nabih Berri assures during raids in the outskirts of Ersal killing 50 Cabinet who are hindering the path of Wednesday’s parliamentary gathering militants as reported by As-Safir. negotiations to release the captives. that there is no connection between the

issue 148 | November 2014 44| Media September 2014 Highlights

legislative session and the extension of that the government is intending to set September 29 Parliament’s term. up camps for refugees despite the lack The Parliament Bureau Committee’s Families of captive soldiers and of consensus over the decision. meeting approves the agenda of the policemen continue to block roads in Former President of the Republic legislative session scheduled for Qlaamoun and Dahr el-Baydar. Amine Gemayel calls on candidates Wednesday, including foremost the Lebanese Army posts and who did not get lucky to step back and approval of the salary scale after headquarters come under fire in Tripoli give a chance to other candidates. amending the figures. and an attack targets a van transporting An-Nussra Front issues a statement A Hezbollah delegation chaired soldiers in Akkar. announcing that negotiations will be by politburo chief Ibrahim Sayyed Grand Mufti Abdul Latif Deryan suspended entirely until all the matters visits Grand Mufti Abdul Latif Deryan continues to receive well-wishers in Ersal are resolved. to congratulate him on his recent including an Amal Movement delegation A militant group kidnaps two election. The delegation also pays a and a Lebanese Forces delegation gendarmes and releases them three visit to the Former Grand Mufti Sheikh chaired by MP Strida Geagea. hours later after burning down their Mohammad Rashid Qabbani. Dar el-Fatwa hosts a Muslim- military vehicles and confiscating their The General Security denies Christian summit in the presence of guns. deporting any Syrians back to Syria as the heads of religious communities in reported by An-Nussra Front. Lebanon. The final statement underlines September 27 MP George Edwan visits the families the need to accelerate the election of a PM Tamam Salam meets Iranian of the captives in Dahr el-Baydar and President of the Republic and reiterates President Hassan Rouhani in New York assures that the problem can never be support for the Army, rejecting recourse and tells An-Nahar that he requested solved by blocking roads and assaulting to weapons internally. It is also decided his help in facilitating the election of a the government. to carry out an overseas tour to back up Lebanese President. Military Judge Riad Abou Ghaida Arab Christians. Minister of Foreign Affairs and sentences Hussein al-Hassan, operator Families of the captive soldiers and Emigrants Gebran Bassil continues his of the Twitter account of the Baalbeck- policemen resume their blocking of tour in the US and notes that the Syrian based Ahrar al-Sunna Brigade, to death. the Daher el-Baidar road and warn of refugee camps will eventually burst. further escalation. Minister of Social affairs Rashid September 30 The Lebanese Army conducts Derbas informs that Kuwait will finance Supreme Secretary of the Iranian crackdowns inside Syrian refugee the Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon. National Security Council, Ali camps in Ersal and arrest 450 suspects. The Muslim-Christian spiritual Shamkhani, meets PM Tamam Salam, Syrians and residents of Ersal respond meeting held at the residence of Speaker Nabih Berri and Hezbollah’s by raising the ISIS flag near the Mohammad Hamieh’s family in Secretary General Sayyed Hassan municipality’s headquarters and calling Beqa’a promotes coexistence and urges Nasrallah during his trip to Lebanon and on the group to protect them. An-Nussra protection of the Syrian refugees. reveals that Iran is to offer equipment Front states that the Lebanese should to the Lebanese Army to assist it in bear the consequences of their support September 28 countering terrorism. of the Army. Minister of the Interior and The Future Parliamentary Bloc Lebanese Army Commander General Municipalities Nouhad Mashnouq continues to support the government in Jean Qahwaji visits Grand Mufti Abdul says during a ceremony held by the resolving the captives’ crisis and rejects Latif Deryan and briefs him on the Makassed Association in his honor that the families’ recourse to roadblocks. Army’s action in Ersal, assuring that no Lebanon is not a Muslim country but a Minister of Agriculture Akram siege is laid on the town. country of diversity, adding that even Shehayyeb conveys a message from if it carries religious slogans, the ISIS MP Walid Jumblat to General Michel September 26 flag is deemed worthless when used Aoun. In a speech before the UN General to promote the slaughter of Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Assembly, PM Tamam Salam stresses troops. Emigrants Gebran Bassil meets his Lebanon’s unwavering commitment Former PM Saad Harri criticizes French counterpart, Laurent Fabius in to fighting terrorism, urging the the statement presented by the National France and assures that his meeting international community to support Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary with Al-Mouallem was duly arranged. Lebanon in bearing the brunt of Syrian and Opposition Forces to the UN, in Security forces prevent the families exodus. Salam meets US Secretary of which it condemns the practices of the of the captives from blocking the road State John Kerry. Lebanese Army against refugees. in Al-Masnaa area. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Civil Society activists protest about A Qatari mediator enters the outskirts Emigrants Gebran Bassil meets his Syrian the tweets of journalist Faissal Qassem of Ersal and returns accompanied with counterpart Walid al-Mouallem in New against the Lebanese Army by invading First Adjutant Kamal Houjairy who York. Palestinian President Mahmoud the offices of Al-Jazeera in Beirut. was abducted at his farm in Ersal two Abbas eventually joins the two. Qassem had ridiculed the practices of the weeks ago. Minister of the Interior and Army in Syrian refugee camps in Ersal. Municipalities Nouhad Mashnouq says

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Media |45

This Month in History- lebanon The Assassination of René Mouawad Who were the Culprits: Syria or Israel?

On November 22, 1989, which marked the 46th anniversary of Lebanon’s independence, Beirut was a stage for a terrorist operation: the assassination of the President of the Republic René Mouawad, only seventeen days after his election. Today, a quarter of a century later, The Monthly recalls the factual circumstances of the assassination.

Pre-election President Amin Gemayel’s term of office expired on September 23, 1988 without the election of a successor to the presidency. Pursuant to his constitutional powers, which were later lost in the Taef Accord, Gemayel formed a military government that consisted of members of the Military Council and was headed by the then Army Commander Michel Aoun.

The attempts to elect a new president did not stop, but the persistent political divides and the alarming rise in military actions, particularly after Aoun’s declaration of the Liberation War against the Syrian regime, aborted the efforts. Still, the deadlock prompted the activation of Arab and international initiatives that were all geared towards resolving the crisis in Lebanon. Consequently, Lebanese MPs were brought together in the city of Taef in Saudi Arabia where they agreed on a number of political, economic and security reforms. The Taef Accord laid the foundation for a new pact among the Lebanese; rather it improved the national pact of 1943. In response, General Michel Aoun issued a decree dated November 4, 1989, dissolving Parliament and calling on electoral bodies for new elections. Everybody knew that holding the elections at that particular time was not only very difficult, but also practically impossible. Aoun justified his decree by arguing that Parliament had been elected in 1972 and had thus extended its own term unduly and that MPs had René Mouawad legitimized the Syrian occupation.

Election session Parliament discarded Aoun’s decree and MPs convened Afterwards, MPs moved to elect a new president of the on November 5, 1989 at the Qoulayaat airport, north of republic and the competition was limited to three candidates: Lebanon, where they first re-elected Hussein Husseini as René Mouawad, Elias Hrawi and George Saadeh. Speaker of the House, then approved the Taef Accord with the consent of 58 MPs. Farid Joubran, Hassan Rifai and In the first round, Mouawad gained 35 votes, George Chafik Badr had reservations about the Taef Accord. Saadeh 16 and Elias Hrawi five votes in addition to

issue 148 | November 2014 46| Media

two blank ballots. After Hrawi and Saadeh announced headed the group in charge of the convoy’s security and he their withdrawal in the second round, Mouawad won was also responsible for the choice of its route. by 52 votes, a scenario that was pre-planned and agreed upon during the Taef meetings. During the same session, In contrast, Pro-Syrian parties accused Aoun, the Iraqi Mouawad took the oath and appointed Salim el-Hoss regime and Israel for they had challenged the Taef Accord, to form the government. Aoun did not acknowledge the which reinforced the Syrian influence in Lebanon. election results and considered Mouawad a former MP, a stance that was also encouraged by Iraq on grounds that In the past few years, news were circulating that the Mouawad was pro-Syrian. On the other hand, Damascus assassination was plotted in coordination between Ghazi declared support for Mouawad and laid down two Kanaan, Chief of the Syrian Intelligence in Lebanon, conditions for the withdrawal of its troops from Lebanon: Abdul Halim Khaddam, the Vice President of Syria and the the withdrawal of Israel from South Lebanon and ending then business tycoon Rafic Hariri. The three wanted to get the war. rid of Mouawad, who had shifted his stances and become much stricter towards national affairs and the relationship Assassination with Syria after his rise to power. They wanted to replace On November 22, Lebanon’s National Independence him with Elias Hrawi so that Hariri could later assume the Day, President René Mouawad held a reception to mark prime minister’s office and become the actual ruler of the the occasion at the Grand Serail in Sanayeh. After the country, backed up by the Syrian regime. ceremony when Mouawad was on his way back to his residence in Ramleh Baidah, a bomb was detonated near Mouawad’s family who at first held both Aoun and the the Raml el-Zareef High School, shortly after his departure Iraqi regime accountable for the assassination, backtracked from the Serail. The explosion targeted his motorcade and on their position after the withdrawal of Syrian troops killed him immediately. 11 other people were also killed in from Lebanon in April 2005 and instead accused Syrian the attack and another 39 were injured. Intelligence, arguing that Mouawad was killed for refusing to bend to the Syrian will and to violate Lebanon’s Speculations sovereignty. Three potential scenarios were raised over the assassination: Explosives were planted inside Mouawad’s car, René Mouawad: MP, Minister and President which has a low probability of being true and this of the Lebanese Republic scenario aims to hold the Syrian Intelligence directly René Anis Mouawad was born in Ehden in 1925. He accountable for the assassination; obtained a degree in law in 1947 after which he engaged in politics by running as a parliamentary candidate on Hamid A car laden with 250 kilograms of explosives was Frangieh’s list in 1951. Although luck did not favor him detonated by a remote control the moment Mouawad’s that year, Mouawad ran on Hamid Frangieh’s list again in motorcade was passing; 1957 and was elected the deputy of Zgharta. He was re- elected in 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972. An explosive device weighing 250 kilograms was blown up inside an empty room on the premises of the On the ministerial front, Mouawad was appointed Minister Raml el-Zareef High School. of Post and Telecommunication under the Rashid Karami government and served from October 31, 1961 to February Responsibility 20, 1964. He was also Minister of Labor under the same Conflicting statements and opinions arose as to the identity government from January 15, 1969 to November 25, of the perpetrators behind the operation. An accusing 1969. Under Shafeeq Wazzan, Mouawwad assumed office finger was pointed at the Syrian Intelligence as it had held as Minister of National Education and Fine Arts between the actual responsibility for the victim’s safety. It was later October 25, 1980 and September 29, 1982. He was elected said that Syrian Brigadier General Jameh Jameh, a chief the President of the Republic on November 5, 1989. intelligence officer, was behind the assassination as he had

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. Arab World Focus|47

This Month in History - Arab world the Islamic Republic of Mauritania

November 28, 1960 marked the declaration of independence of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania from France. Moktar Ould Daddah was selected the first president of the republic and one year later, Mauritania was admitted to the UN and became a member of the Arab League later in 1973.

The name of Mauritania dates back to the Roman era. which resulted in scores of killings and injuries among Romans gave the name to all of North Africa when the citizens of both countries and in strained relations region consisted of two Roman provinces: Mauretania between Mauritania and its two strategic partners, France Caesariensis and Mauretania Tingitana. When the and Morocco. French colonial project emerged in the late 19th century, colonial leader Xavier Coppolani chose to revive the Moktar Ould Daddah became the first president of name, dubbing the territory, stretching between Morocco independent Mauritania and he drafted the country’s and Senegal, Mauritania. The area had been previously constitution in May 1961. Military coups swept over known by many other names such as the Chinguetti Mauritania after his rule. On July 10, 1978, Colonel Region, the Al-Mulathamin Desert, the Land of Lamtuna Mustafa Ould Salek led a military coup d’état against and the Far West. Ordinary people used to call it the Land President Daddah and ruled for less than a year, after which of Beydanes (White Moors) as opposed to the Sudan he resigned and handed power to Colonel Muhammad located to the South. Louly who in turn surrendered his post as Head of State to his PM Muhammad Khouna Ould Haidallah. The French ruled Mauritania in 1920. The French Haidallah drafted a new constitution for the country were mostly deployed along the Atlantic Coast where on December 17, 1980 and his rule was marked by gold and iron mines abounded and where they could several political, social and economic crises that were control the pathways and routes linking between their sufficient to inspire a new military coup against him, led northern and southern colonies. Thus, tribal leaders by the Military Committee for National Salvation. The fought together against colonial threats. Their steadfast committee operated under the leadership of the Army’s resistance movement throughout the years, coupled with Chief of Staff Mu’awiya walad Sayyidi Ahmad Tayeh the international climate that prevailed following the who seized power in 1984. In 1991, he drew up the independence of most of the other colonies, forced the third constitution for Mauritania, which remains in force French to acknowledge Mauritania’s independence on today. The constitution approved a multi-party system November 28, 1960. The country was later named the and paved way for the first municipal and presidential Islamic Republic of Mauritania and Nouakchott became elections, which resulted in the election of Ahmad Tayeh its political and administrative capital while Nouadhibou as the Head of State in 1992. He was re-elected in 1997, served as its economic capital. Mauritania became a but the wave of military coups did not stop until 2009 member state of the UN in 1960 and a member of the Arab when President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, currently League in 1973. Islam is the state religion in Mauritania in office, achieved sweeping victory among presidential and Arabic is its official language, although French is candidates. still widely spoken. Today’s Mauritania is divided into 12 regions and 53 central districts. Some international organizations accused Mauritania of exercising slavery and violating human rights, thus Because of its location, Mauritania had to face political severing the country’s ties with France. This, coupled crises and disputes. Following Spain’s retreat from with other factors, led the Mauritanian government to Western Sahara, Mauritania entered a three-year war, normalize its relations with Israel in 1999 in order to win from 1975 to 1978, against the Polisario Front, not to the Americans over to their side. mention the Mauritanian-Senegalese conflict of 1989,

issue 148 | November 2014 48|Arab World Focus

On the Beliefs and Plots of Al-Qaeda (8)

Disclaimer: the views expressed in the article below are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of The Monthly.

The frequency of military actions is one of the main things that generate dissent among Al-Qaeda members. While some want to rush into military operations, others opt for taking things more slowly until suitable opportunities arise.

Rushing operations: Regarding rushing operations, the without cutting the bonds of allegiance. He must be dealt with solution for is understanding and sitting with the youth to in a manner that is commensurate with the nature and size of his elucidate the general policy for action and the importance of immoderation and commensurate with what he may do. waiting patiently in some of the stages of the battle in order to drain the enemy, for example. We will show them that Stupidity: As for the zealous persons who commit stupid acts this matter will only be handed to those who are as sturdy as and it is known that treating them is not possible, they should mountains, who do not rise easily to the bait of the enemy. be excluded entirely because they may cause disasters not only for the group that knows them but also for other groups and Of course, the believer should not be cold and he should be infinite problems may arise because of them. Everyone who has angry for the sake of God and use all that lies in his power dealt with these sorts of people has experience of this. Among to drive back all things forbidden. However, he should know these experiences is that some of the major stories which the when and how to act so that he can obtain what he desires. newspapers and the media recount are, in reality, about one Similarly, we should clarify to the youth the importance of of those stupid people who has conceived a plan for a large listening and obedience, especially when it comes to matters operation— at his own discretion and which is frequently never the underlying wisdom of which we cannot unveil due to its suitable for execution.—and has written it down on paper and secrecy. We should also focus on the matters relating to that put it inside his desk. in the prophetic biography. We do not do that out of laxity or weakness or retreat; otherwise we would not have declared And because he, originally, talked too much and had too many jihad to begin with. We are working to bring people together connections, investigators go to his house in order to search and guide them as much as we can and to maintain the ember it and stumble upon the page on which the dangerous plan is of ardor through battles that serve the intended purpose at the outlined. They snatch it up and start interrogating him. Under right time and place. Our viewpoint differs from the viewpoint pressure, he begins to mention names, which sometimes are not of those who refrain from fighting. connected each other, of those who have no connection to the jihad; rather, sometimes they are ordinary people. However, Likewise, it is possible to unload the excessive ardor of these on account of his numerous connections and the trust that some people for the benefit of the actions. We should also elucidate have placed in him because of his enthusiasm, he also knows the importance of and seriousness of any action that falls under some of the members of several jihadist groups and may point the holistic system of actions and emphasize the importance of at them. The matter then ramifies to include new jihadist groups mastering it, no matter how small and trivial it may seem. This between which there is no connection and new accusations is because the desire for large-scale actions, especially battle, and stories emerge. A mountain is thus made out of a molehill. overcomes some of those enthusiastic people. That is a good More often than not, investigators do realize that the affair quality which is usually indicative of high zeal . However, one is fabricated, yet dozens have to stand trials and the media of its harmful effects is that it may drive them to underestimate circulates their fanciful stories. actions that are not equally large in scale, a fact which may make them lukewarm or make them undertake those actions Of course, long prison sentences are issued for those who are without mastering them. In addition to the foregoing, the more affiliated with jihad and pronouncements of innocence are we are wise in selecting the leaders so that members can vest reserved for the ordinary people and those who are committed their trust in them, the fewer are the members who will overstep (to the cause), who do not have any connection with the jihad, authority or rush into reckless actions and so on. after they have finished the sentence. Immoderation: the main solution for immoderation is On another occasion, one of them is asked to read papers and education. The more the intellectual level of the youth is raised, specific letters then burn them. However, he does not burn them the more limited this problem will be, or, at the very least, the but hides them instead. When his home is searched during the presence of a steadfast, intellectual cadre in each region nips investigators’ random searches, the papers are found and not this problem in the bud. just one; this time, many important and real affairs are exposed. When he is asked, in prison, “why didn’t you burn the papers?”, As for those who insist on the method of haste or on stirring he answers: “my soul could not make me comply with burning immoderate subjects, they must be removed from the ranks papers in the handwriting of the shaykhs and the leaders!”

issue 148 | The Monthly is published by Information International s.a.l. prices |49

Real Estate Prices- September 2014 Towards Real estate transactions continued in Table 2 the first half of September the upward 2 2 movement that had begun during the second half Region Area (m ) Price (USD) USD/m of August. However, they returned to the state of Beirut passivity in the second half of the month, which is Gemmayzeh 225 832,500 3,700 likely to linger over the months leading up to the Ashrafieh (Geitawi) 180 405,000 2,250 new year if no major developments arise to inject Ashrafieh (Sioufi) 150 510,000 3,400 momentum into the sector. Prices are still at stable levels with a tendency Adliyeh 180 540,000 3،000 towards increases for smaller apartments. Rawche (Australia) 165 585,750 3,550 Tables 1 and 2 illustrate the prices of some estates Basta 120 252,000 2,100 and apartments sold in September 2014. Ramlet el-Bayda 300 1,200,000 4,000 Clemenceau 170 637,500 3,750 Prices of some estates sold in September 2014 Table 1 Ras Nabee 120 300,000 2,500 Region Area (m2) Price (USD) USD/m2 Baabda Beirut Baabda 230 471,500 2,050 Bristol 950 11,400,000 12,000 Hazmieh (Mar Taqla) 120 270,000 2,250 Hamra 350 4,550,000 13,000 Haret Hreik 100 100,000 1,000 Bashoura 220 1,100,000 5،000 Hadath (Hay el-Amerkan) 300 255,000 850 Gemmayzeh 390 2,925,000 7,500 Road to airport 180 378,000 2,100 Hamra 800 8,000,000 10,000 Mraijeh 170 144,500 850 Baabda Hadath (Debbas) 200 300,000 1,500 Hazmieh (Mar Taqla) 750 1,950,000 2,600 Matn Baabda- Loueizy 1,500 435,000 290 Antelias 180 432,000 2,400 Matn Jisr el-Basha 150 180,000 1,200 Broummana 1,000 700,000 700 Jal el-Dib 135 168,750 1,250 Ain Saadeh 230 460,000 2,000 Ouyoun (Broummana) 1,850 555,000 300 Mansourieh 110 165,000 1,500 Ain Saadeh 1,950 2,145,000 1,100 Monteverde 175 367,500 2,100 New Rawdah 1,200 2,400,000 2,000 Mar Roukoz 280 308,000 1,100 Aley Aley Bhamdoun 1،150 402,500 350 Khaldeh 240 240,000 1,000 Choueifat 3,570 2,499,000 700 Bshamoun 110 132,000 1,200 Bshamoun 1,550 976,500 630 Aramoun 150 150,000 1,000 Kessrouan Choueifat 175 210,000 1,200 Ajaltoun 1,200 600,000 500 Kessrouan Jounieh’s Highway 2,500 3,500,000 1,400 Sahel Alma 165 297,000 1,800 Ballouneh 1,500 1,275,000 850 Sarba (Jounieh) 120 150,000 1,250 Kfardebian 800 240,000 300 Adonis 180 216,000 1,200 Adma 1,100 1,265,000 1,150 El-Bouar 100 120,000 1,200 Source: Compiled by Information International- September 2014 Source: Compiled by Information International- September 2014

issue 148 | November 2014 50| Did you know that?

Wedding Traditions Around the World

In Scotland, friends and family are invited to throw kiss the bride. If the bride leaves the room, her groom any disgusting substances they can think of, like can be kissed by any of the ladies in the room. eggs, milk, and spoiled food, at the bride and groom. The couple then walks around town with a In Congo, smiling is not a custom at weddings as convoy of friends and family making as much noise they are meant to be taken seriously. Smiling is not as they can behind the couple. even permitted in photographs. In Mongolia, the soon-to-be bride and groom Among the Tidong community in Indonesia slaughter a chick. If the chick’s liver has an and Malaysia the bride and groom are not allowed unseemly appearance, they will keep slaughtering to leave the house, urinate, or clear their bowels for chicks until they have found a decent-looking liver. three days after the ceremony. They are watched The wedding won’t take place until this happens. over and can only consume limited amounts of food and water. If this custom is not adhered to, it is Among the Massai people of Kenya, the father thought that the couple will have bad luck for years of the bride spits on her head and breast as a to come. blessing. The bride then walks away with her new husband and does not look back, fearing that she Retrieved from: will turn to stone. http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/30/living/matrimony-global-traditions/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/29/wedding- During a Swedish wedding, if the groom leaves traditions_n_3964844.html the room, the other men in the room are allowed to

Beirut International Airport  Beirut International Airport Rafic Hariri International Airport Traffic- August 2014 

Airport Traffic in August 2014 compared to July 2014 and August 2013 Table 1 Compared to the passenger % of change % of change traffic handled by Rafic Hariri Traffic July 2014 August August 2013 July/August August 2013/ International Airport in July 2014 2014 2014 2014 and August 2013, the traffic registered at the Arriving airplanes 3,081 3,215 3,145 + 4.3 + 2.2 beginning of August this year Departing airplanes 3,075 3,219 3,157 + 4.7 + 2 increased by 26.7% and 12% respectively. Total no. of airplanes 6,156 6,434 302,6 + 4.5 + 2.1 From the beginning of the Arriving passengers 376,277 389,110 343,406 + 3.4 + 13.3 year until the end of August 2014, a total of 4,377,950 Departing passengers 265,266 423,549 382,644 + 59.6 + 10.6 passengers used the airport, compared to 4,282,858 Transit passengers 828 1,620 1,036 + 96 + 56.3 during the same period Total no. of passengers 642,371 814,279 727,086 + 26.7 + 12 last year, i.e. up by 95,092 passengers or 2.2%. Imported goods (per ton) 4,862.1 4,215 4,638 - 13.3 - 9.1 Table 1 illustrates the Rafic Exported goods (per ton) 3,380.6 3,525 3,410 - 4.3 + 3.3 Hariri International Airport Traffic in August 2014 Total amount of goods 8,242.7 7,740 8,048 - 6 - 3.8 compared to July 2014 and Source: Information International based on the Civil Aviation Directorate General statistics. August 2013. Stats & Numbers |51

SNumberstats& Publications

USD 10,000 is the amount Publications by Publications by Kutub (in Arabic): Information International (in Arabic): of financial aid granted by 1- May Ziadeh, Evolution of a Free Female Thinker 1- Salaries and Remunerations in the Public Sector the Higher Relief Committee 2- Mission in Hijaz - Lion Roche 2- Public Seaside Properties to each of the 11 Lebanese 3- Aleppo Cuisine 3- Lebanon’s Parliamentary History 1920-2000 nationals abducted by Syrian 4- From An-Nabk to Florida 4- Taxes and Fees armed groups. Each of the 5- Institution of Aesthetic Discourse -Saad el-Kassab 5- Lebanon in Figures 1992-2002 abducted also received USD 6- Al A’mal Al She’rya Al-Kamila -Kamal Keir beik 1500 from Hezbollah and USD 6- Lebanon in Figures 2003-2004 7- Majhoulat Gibran 1000 from the Amal Movement. 7- Lebanon in Figures 2005-2006 8- Lebanon in Figures 2007-2008 8- Shweir and Its Hills, A phtographic record

9- Lebanon’s MPs and Lebanese Parliamentary 9- The Wars of Lajat 1837-1838 560 is the number of the stolen Elections 1960 - 2009 10- New Funerary Phoenician Stelae, Private Collection vehicles in Lebanon in the first 10- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, half of 2014, of which 320 have candidate and confession-North District been recovered. 11- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, candidate and confession-Beirut District

12- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, candidate and confession-Mount Lebanon District LBP 13.5 thousand billion 13- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, (USD 9 billion) is the worth of the candidate and confession-Beqa’a District

state’s bonds maturing in 2015, 14- 2009 Parliamentary Elections by ballot box, candidate of which USD 1.250 billion is in and confession-South and Nabatiyeh District foreign currency. 15- Municipal Elections 2010

LBP 2.3 billion is the worth Publications by INMA (in Arabic): of the annual operating and 1- “I am Responsible, All of Us are Responsible” maintenance agreement signed 2- “Our Environment is Our Home” between the state- through the 3- “My Society is My Responsibility” Council for Development and 4- “My Society is My Responsibility” Workbook To Subscribe: Reconstruction- and a private 5- “I am a Student, I am a Citizen: Ways Towards Al-Borj Building, 4th Floor, Martyrs Square State Building” Beirut Central District company to maintain and clean Telephone: 961-1-983008/9 961-3-262376 6- “I am a Student, I am a Citizen: Ways Towards Fax: 961-1-980630 up the Ministry of Education’s State Building” Workbook [email protected] 7- “Lebanon Wars, why?” www.monthlymagazine.com building at the UNESCO. www.information-international.com 8- Discrimination in Lebanon © Information International SAL All rights reserved License No. 180/2003

A Star from My Country

It is undisputed that Fairouz and the Rahbani Brothers, Assi and Mansour, have made an indelible mark on the entire music scene of Lebanon and the Arab world with an impressive repertoire of songs and music plays. Unfortunately though, the invasion of western culture and music has influenced the taste of today’s generations, leaving them with little if any knowledge of the rich and pervasive musical legacy of Fairouz and the Rahbani Brothers. In a bid to introduce children to these towering musical figures and to a genre of music that blends genius with humanity, Dr. Sanaa El-Harakeh set out to chronicle the life and music career of Fairouz through a clever story that unfolds elegantly in a book targeting children between 8 and 14 years of age. Released by the Social and Cultural Development Association (INMA), the book entitled A Star from My Country makes part of the Bee Series and is accompanied by a CD featuring the author’s distinct vocal timbre while reading the story. A Star from My Country is sure to acquaint your children with some of Lebanon’s most enduring artistic and cultural giants, while at the same time refining their musical taste.

Bee Series

Social and Cultural Development Association - INMA Al-Borj Building, 4th Floor Martyr’s Square, Commercial Center P.O.BOX: 11-4353, Beirut, Lebanon Tel:(961-1)983008/9 – Fax:(961-1)980630 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.inmadevelopment.org